Lesson 5: The Middle East and Africa

Lesson Focus

After the Cold War, hopes for democracy in the Middle East and Africa met the reality of ongoing conflict. This lesson explores the region's resulting political, social, and economic changes since the 1990s.

People to Know

Yasir Arafat, Hosni Mubarak, Muammar al-Qaddafi, Bashar al-Assad

Learning Objectives

• Identify major political changes and conflicts in the Middle East since the 1990s.
• Explain the causes and effects of the Arab Spring uprisings across North Africa and the Middle East.
• Analyze the political, economic, and social challenges confronting nations in sub-Saharan Africa.

Efforts for peace since the 1990s have struggled.

The Oslo Peace Accords of 1993 offered hope, but disputes over territory and continued attacks undermined the process.

The PLO’s leader Yasir Arafat was replaced by the more moderate Mahmoud Abbas, but the rise of Hamas—a group that rejects Israel’s existence—complicated things.

After the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the U.S. took military action.

First, the U.S. invaded Afghanistan in 2001 to overthrow the Taliban, who harbored al-Qaeda.

Then, in 2003, the U.S. invaded Iraq, which fell into a civil war between Shia and Sunni Muslims.

High unemployment and anger toward oppressive governments caused widespread protests starting in December 2010.

Young people used social media to organize massive demonstrations in countries like Tunisia and Egypt, a movement known as the Arab Spring.

Protesters demanded democracy and an end to corruption.

The Arab Spring brought massive change but not immediate peace.

In Egypt, protests forced President Hosni Mubarak from power in 2011, but the military took over in a 2013 coup after his elected successor claimed excessive power.

In Libya, protests against Colonel Muammar al-Qaddafi turned into a civil war, leading to his ouster with help from UN airstrikes.

Since the end of the Cold War, nations in Africa south of the Sahara face significant obstacles.

Challenges like rapid population growth, poverty, and the devastating AIDS epidemic have slowed progress.

In response, countries formed the African Union (AU) to promote democracy and economic growth.

Religious divisions, particularly between Muslims and Christians, have created violent conflicts.

In Nigeria, some local officials tried to apply Islamic law within their jurisdictions, leading to riots.

In Cote d'Ivoire, a political dispute between a Muslim north and a Christian south erupted into a civil war after 2002. These conflicts have destroyed economies, displaced people, and continue to threaten the fragile unity of these African nations.