Human Geo 6.4 Questions Flashcards
How has Hinduism been strongly challenged regarding their caste system?
-Since the 1800s, when the British introduced their social/moral concepts to India.
- The castes have split into thousands of subcastes, and social relations among them were limited until British/Christians pointed out the shortcomings.
- Recently, the system has been relaxed, but conciousness of castes still exist: a gov’t plan to give Dalits more rights has faced strong opposition.
How has organized religion been challenged in the 20th century by the rise of communist regimes in Europe & Asia?
- After the 1917 Bolshevik Revolution, the Soviet Union was very antireligious, and adopted Marxism as their official doctrine, and religion was reduced.
- In 1918, the gov’t eliminated the Russian Orthodox church as part of the gov’t, and the religion lost adherents, dwindling due to the prevention.
- Religious revival after the end of Communism.
- Central Asian formerly Soviet countries are struggling to determine how much they should change their laws to conform to Islamic tradition.
Describe the conflict between the doctrine of communism and the authority of Buddhist religious leaders in China:
-Dalai Lama (spiritual leader of Tibetan Buddhists), lives in Tibet, which was dominated by China until indpendence in 1911. But China invaded it in 1951, renamed it, and installed a Communist government, destroyed temples & made people work on farming communes, not as herdsmen. In 1937 a 2-year-old boy was recognized as the 14th Dalai Lama. He was forced to migrate during an unsuccessful rebellion in 1959. Since then, the Dalai Lama & other leaders are in India. There is conflict over whether Buddhists or Chinese will find the next Dalai Lama.
Describe the positions of the Jews, Christians, and Muslims in the Middle Eastern conflict:
- Jews: Israel is holy & Jerusalem is its holiest city (its capital). After the Romans gained control (renamed Palestine), only a few Jews could live there until the 20th. They kept a strong connection to the land.
- Christianity: Holy Land because of major events in Jesus’ life, death, & resurrection. Most Palestinians accepted Christianity after adopted by Roman Empire
- Muslims: In 7th century, they captured Palestine & Jerusalem, diffusing language & converting people. Muhammad ascended in Jerusalem (3rd holiest city).
What kinds of wars and battles happened in the Middle Eastern conflict between the Jews, the Christians, and the Muslims?
- To capture the Holy Land, Europeans launched the Crusades over a 200 year period. They ended when the Muslims defeated their last stronghold in 1291.
- Islams controlled Palestine from 1516-1917, and Jews began returning to their homeland, but the gov’t was defeated in WWI, and the UK took over. They restricted Jewish immigration during the 1930s, and after violence by Jews and Muslims, they withdrew.
What was the 1948-1949 War (Arab-Israeli)?
After Israel declared independence (as soon as the British withdrew), 5 Arab states began a war. Armistice was signed in 1949. Israel’s boundaries extended beyond the UN partition (including western Jerusalem), Jordan got the West Bank and East Jerusalem (including the Old City, with holy places), Egypt got Gaza Strip.
What was the 1956 Suez War?
Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal (key shipping route between Europe & Asia), that had previously been owned by France & UK. They also blockaded international waterways near its shores, blocking Israelis. France, Israel, & UK attacked Egypt and reopened the waterways, but Egypt still had Suez.
What was the 1967 Six-Day War?
Israel’s neighbors massed troops along borders & blocked waterways, so Israel launched a surprise attack, destroying air forces and regaining a bunch of territory: the Old City of Jerusalem, the Golan Heights, the Gaza Strip & the Sinai Peninsula.
How did the Arab-Israeli Wars come to an end (peace treaty)?
Egypt’s president & Israel’s Prime Minister signed it in 1979 after a series of meetings with Jimmy Carter. Israel gave the Sinai Peninsula back, and Egypt recognized Israel’s right to exist. Extremist Muslim Egyptian soldiers assassinated Egypt’s president in anger for conceding, but his successor still carried out the treaty. In 2005, Israel withdrew completely from Gaza, leaving it to Palestines. Other territories haven’t been settled.
What are 2 elements of the local landscape that Israeli consider meaningful in dealing with their neighbors?
- It is a small country with a Jewish majority, surrounded by hostile neighbors, but Islamic Arab countries nearby encompass millions of miles & nearly all Israelis live within 12 miles of an international border.
- The physical geography consists of narrow coastal lowlands and interior highlands (hills) interrupted by Jordan River valley (3 narrow regions).
How have other countries used Israel’s geography to fight against them/how have they been captured?
Jordan & Syria used the hills between 1948 & 1967 to attack Israeli settlements. The highlands were captured by Israel during the 1967 war, and Israel still has control over the Golan Heights & West Bank (or the hills between the plains & the valley). After capturing it, Israel let Jews build settlements there. Some did it because it was their homeland (Judea & Samaria), and some did it due to shortages of affordable housing elsewhere).
How has Israel protected itself from Palestinians?
To deter their suicide bombers, the Israeli gov’t has set up barriers along West Bank, Gaza Strip, & suburbs of Jerusalem. The West Bank barrier places 9% of the land on Israel’s side, who calls it a “security fence,” but Palestinians call it a “racial segregation wall.” Neutral sources call it a “separation barrier.” Some Jews want to retain some of West Bank, but some want to make compromises in return for formal recognition and peace.
What is the Palestinian perspective?
Israel has permitted a limited gov’t in much of West Bank & Gaza, called the Palestinian Authority, but the Palestinians aren’t satisfied.
-They are divided by differences: a struggle for power between the Fatah (willing to recognize Israel in exchange for the return of all the territory Israel took in 1967) & Hamas parties (terrorists; they want to continue fighting for the entire territory between the Mediterranean & the Jordan).
What are 3 reasons to keep the security fence?
- Less than 3 years before the barrier was built, hundreds of Israeli citizens were victims of 73 Palestinian terrorist attacks.
- Since Israel built the fence, the # of attacks declined dramatically.
- Israel has made many adjustments to its location in response to notes that a fence can be removed with peace AND humanitarian concerns.
What are 3 reasons to remove the segregation wall?
- It has helped Jewish settlers increase the territory under their control.
- Palestinians living in the West Bank consider it hostile (20% of the West Bank population is Jewish).
- It prevents some Palestinians from reaching their fields/workplaces.
