By Greg Timmons

Subjects

Government, Social Studies, International Studies, Geography

Estimated Time

Three class days

Grade Level

9 - 12

Objective

Students will:

1. Gain an understanding of the role of Syria in 20th Century Middle Eastern politics.


2. Understand how the events after WWI created modern boundaries of the Middle Eastern countries and led to continued bitterness among many Arab countries.


3. Review brief histories of Syria's relations with its neighbors and the United States.


4. Evaluate Syria's success as a major political player in the Middle East.


5. Analyze how its relationship with terrorists groups has helped or hurt Syria's interests in the Middle East.


6. Hypothesize why Syria and the U.S. should find common ground in their relationship as it pertains to the future of the Middle East.

Background

Elections in Iraq and Palestine, open political demonstrations in Lebanon, negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority have indicated a wider role for democracy in Middle East politics. Syria, has a checkered history of cooperation and conflict with its neighbors. In 2008, Syria formalized diplomatic ties with neighboring Lebonon. In 2007, the United Nations Secretary General wanted to monitor the situation along the entire Syria-Lebanon border and report the findings. The U.S. found itself in the middle of a diplomatic firestorm after the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, a proponent of a democratic Lebanon and a critic of Syrian occupation. In September of 2004, French and American U.N. officials were able to pass U.N. Resolution 1559, which called for the removal of Syrian forces and the disbanding and disarmament of all militias in Lebanon. The resolution had no strict timetable but with the assassination of Hariri, pressure has been stepped up to force Syria to honor the independent sovereignty of Lebanon, remove all Syrian troops expeditiously, remove Syria's intelligence agents, and disarm and dismantle foreign and domestic militias operating in Lebanon. This lesson will help students understand the role Syria has played in Middle East politics over the past century and how now it might be at a crossroads of fulfilling it's goals for a pan-Arab state and preserving its very survival. By developing a timeline on Syrian history and examining historical maps, students will gain an understanding of how Syria has had to adjust to outside influence and pressure against its goals.

Procedure

Part I: Historical Background - Syrian Timeline Dates

In this activity, students will construct a brief timeline showing Syria's ancient history, modern development since WWI, and most recent role in the region since 1970's.

1. After dividing the class into groups of three, pass out the Timeline Handout to all students. Have them review the directions and then have them go to various history or current news sources for the information. After they have completed their timeline they can come together in a large group to complete the discussion questions.Click on this printer-friendly PDF for answers to the timeline: Timeline Key Answers to the timeline can be found by clicking on this printer-friendly PDF, Timeline Key , except where indicated below.The following dates should be on the students' timelines:
   
   
   
   
   1. 1216 - 1516
   
   
   2. 1916
   
   
   3. 1919-20
   
   
   4. 1939
   
   
   5. 1946
   
   
   6. 1948-49
   
   
   7. 1958-61
   
   
   8. 1967
   
   
   9. 1970-71
   
   
   10. 1973
   
   
   11. 1976
   
   
   12. 1981-82
   
   
   13. 1987
   
   
   14. 1989 Syria endorses the Taif accord
   
   
   15. 1990-91
   
   
   16. 2001 Syrian President Hafez al Assad dies and his son Bashar Assad takes over
   
   
   17. 2003 opposes U.S. invasion of Iraq
   
   
   18. September, 2004 U.N. resolution 1559 is passed calling for withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon
   
   
   19. February, 2005 Syria is implicated in the assassination of former Lebanon Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri
   
   
   20. July, 2006 Conflict with Israel and Lebanon
   
   
   21. May, 2008 Sectarian violence breaks out between Hezbollah and Sunnis
   
   
   
   

Discussion Questions

1. In which of these events does Syria seem to play a cooperative role with its neighbors or the international community?


2. In which of these events does Syria seem to be in conflict with its neighbors or the international community


3. What patterns are evident in this behavior?


4. Is Syria in a stronger or weaker position now to cooperate with its neighbors and the international community than it was in the 1970s and 80s?

Part II: Historical Maps of Syria

1. Pass out the handout reading "Syrian History After World War I" and have students read and briefly answer the questions at the bottom of the handout.


2. Pass out copies of the map on the Ottoman Empire on the eve of WWI Have students trace the outline of the Empire and identify the current Middle East countries that were contained in the Empire.


3. Pass out the handout map on the Picot-Sykes agreement and have students identify the current Middle East countries the French and British planned to control after WWI. Then have them draw in the general area of Greater Syria designed by the General Syrian Congress as described in the reading.


4. Have students answer the following questions in discussion:
   
   
   
   
   • How might the implementation of the Sykes-Picot Agreement leave Arabs with bitterness against the West?
   
   
   • Why do nations like Syria continue to position themselves in order to create a pan-Arab State?
   
   
   • How has western and particularly U.S. support for Israel over Arab interests further aggravated their relationship with Syria and other Arab countries?
   
   
   • Since World War II, why haven't the nations of Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq been able to unite into a single force?
   
   
   
   

Part III: Syria's Relations with its Neighbors and the United States

In this activity, students will examine the NewsHour Interactive Map on Syria, gleaning information about Syria's relationship with its neighbors and the U.S. They will analyze the actions Syria is taking that improve and jeopardize these relationships.

1. Divide the class into six groups and assign each one of the following PDF segments of questions on Syria's relationship with its neighbors and the U.S.
   
   
   
   
   1. Lebanon
   
   
   2. Israel
   
   
   3. Jordan
   
   
   4. Iraq
   
   
   5. Turkey
   
   
   6. United States
   
   
   
   


2. Direct students to the NewsHour's " Syria's Role in the Middle East ." Instruct each group to click to their assigned country to gather information to complete the content questions. (Students assigned the questions on the U.S. - Syrian relationship will click the link "U.S.-Syrian Relations.")


3. After the students have completed their work give them some time to review their findings.


4. Gather the students in a large group to review the Discussion Questions at the end of the lesson.

Extension Activities

1. Have students explore more in depth the relationship Syria has with radical groups like Hezbollah and Islamic Jihad. Good information can be found at FRONTLINE/WORLD " Lebanon - Party of God ". Develop information posters that present information about Hezbollah's goals and relationship with Syria.


2. Trace the details of the Sykes-Picot Agreement developed in 1916. Research the Allied rationale for this division of the Middle East looking at the resource distribution, ethnic divisions and geo-political conditions of the time.


3. Divide the class into six groups assigning one of Syria's bordering countries to each group and one group to research Syria. Students can refer to the CIA Factbook . Have students research the basic facts of each country (location, resources, population, system of government, religion/ethnic groups, etc) and develop posters. Hang the bordering countries posters along the walls of the classroom and place the poster of Syria in the middle of the room. Provide each group with a dark and light colored crepe paper roll. By reviewing the main historical events presented the lesson activities above in "Syria's Role in the Middle East," have students from the bordering countries string a light streamer for a positive or supporting event in their relationship with Syria and a dark streamer for a negative event. Have each group explain what the event was that was either positive or negative. Then look at the posters' facts for economic, social or political areas of interest and discuss how the two countries could bring out their common areas and minimize their differences.