Social Studies

Grade 6 Study Guide

2015-2016

Miss Megan Miss Jill

1 | P a g e S o c i a l S t u d i e s S t u d y G u i d e Kuwait Social Studies

Chapter 1 – The Physical Characteristics of the Arab World

A. Geographical Location:

The Arab World is the land occupied by Arab people, which is found in Africa and Asia. It is found between latitude 2 south and 37 north of the equator, and between longitude 17 west and 60 east of the Greenwich Meridian. Comoro Islands is found north-west of the island of Madagascar, between latitudes 11 and 13 south of the equator.

The Arab World is 14 million square kilometres and covers 10% of the world’s total area. There are 22 countries in the Arab World (12 in Asia and 10 in Africa), the largest country in the Arab World is Sudan and the smallest is Bahrain.

It is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean in the west and Indian Ocean in the east. There are a number of waterways in the Arab World which include:

 The Mediterranean Sea which separates the Arab world from Europe

 The Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, connected by the Strait of Hormuz

 The Suez Canal which connects the Mediterranean Sea with the Red Sea (This is one of the most important waterways because it shortens international trade routes between Europe and Asia, reducing costs, time and fuel)

Trade routes by sea or land have always passed through the Arab World, linking Asia, East Africa and Europe.

The Arab World is the cradle of 3 religions:

1. Islam

2. Judaism

3. Christianity

The Arab World has become more important in recent times because it is the world’s leading exporter of oil and has most of the world’s reserves. Oil is an important source of energy and countries like Japan, the USA and countries of Western Europe depend on it.

2 | P a g e S o c i a l S t u d i e s S t u d y G u i d e B. Topography:

Topography is the physical features of an area. In the Arab World, these are:

1. Plains

There are 2 types of plains: COASTAL and FLURIAL plains.

Coastal plains are narrow and are found in Morocco, Algeria, Oman, Egypt, Libya, UAE and Kuwait, close to the sea. These plains are moist all year and are the habitats of crabs, snails, worms and mudskippers. There are a lot birds during cold season.

Flurial plains are formed due to material being deposited by rivers, such as those along the River Nile, Tigris and Euphrates or the plains of Syria and Lebanon.

2. Plateaux

These are flat or nearly flat areas of high ground which have steep sides. The largest plateaux are found in the Sahara Desert region of North Africa (between 1000 and 2000m high). Najd Plateau forms the centre of the Arabian Peninsula and is 1500m high. They are mostly found in deserts, with dunes, dry valleys (wadis) and occasional oases.

3. Mountains

The Atlas Mountain:Found in Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia. Highest mountain in Arab World is Toubkal Mountain in Morocco, it is 4165m high.

The Oman Mountains:Located in the eastern part of the Arabian Peninsula, best known is Jebel Akhdar (the Green Mountains), over 3000m high.

The Mountains on the eastern coast of the Red Sea in Asir and Al-Hejaz in Western Saudi Arabia. These are 2500 to 3000m high.

The Lebanese Mountains:The highest here is 3088m high.

C. Climate:

Climate changes in the Arab World are caused by LATITUDE (areas closer to the equator tend to be hotter); the balance of land and water (in dry inland areas you will find deserts) and ALTITUDE (as land height increases, temperature decreases).

There are 4 climatic zones:

1. Mediterranean:-high temperatures and low rainfall in summer; warm and rainy winters.

2. Desert:-Sahara and most of the Arabian Peninsula. High temperatures, no rainfall in summer; in winter it is cooler with some rain.

3 | P a g e S o c i a l S t u d i e s S t u d y G u i d e 3. Semi-desert:- Has a lower temperature than desert zones and also has a higher amount of rainfall.

4. Tropical:- Very hot and rainy throughout the year.

D. Vegetation:

There are 3 types of vegetation found in the Arab World:

1. Forest – TROPICAL RAINFOREST has ebony, teak and mahogany trees. MIXED FOREST has broadleaf and coniferous trees such as cedar and cork.

2. Grasslands – SAVANNA is in found in hot tropical areas and during rainy season there is lots of lush grass including elephant grass, thorn bushes and deciduous trees. TEMPERATE GRASSLANDS are located in Syria, Lebanon, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia and Yemen; they contain grass, flowering herbs and plants.

3. Desert – This covers 70% of the Arab World and is limited to grasses, scrub and cacti which are adapted to harsh, dry conditions. Some are found all year round but others only grow during the rainy season.

Example Questions:

What is the Arab World? (1)

______

What is the difference between desert and semi-desert climates? (2)

______Describe the 3 different types of vegetation: (3)

______

4 | P a g e S o c i a l S t u d i e s S t u d y G u i d e Chapter 3 – The Natural Resources of the Arab World:

A. Agricultural Resources:

This is the main occupation of people in Arab countries and is a major part of the national economies (Egypt, Sudan, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan, Iraq and Yemen). These areas all have a source of fresh water to irrigate crops or are located in fertile coastal areas, such as along the Mediterranean Sea.

There are a number of important crops which include: a) Cereals – Wheat (Egypt, Syria, Saudi Arabia and Algeria); Rice (Egypt, Iraq and Morocco); Maize (Egypt, Morocco, Iraq and Syria); Barley (Morocco, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Iraq). b) Fruit –Bananas, mangoes and pineapples (Tropical Climates); Citrus Fruits (Mediterranean Climates); Dates (Desert Climates; they produce 63% of the world’s dates);Citrus Fruits (Egypt, Morocco, Lebanon and Syria); Grapes (Egypt, Algeria, Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Morocco); Olives (Tunisia, Syria, Morocco and Algeria);Dates (Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Algeria, Iraq and Tunisia). c) Cash Crops (grown for export and to provide raw materials for industries) – Cotton (Egypt, Syria and Sudan); Sugarcane (Egypt, Sudan and Morocco); Sugar beet (Morocco, Syria and Egypt); Coffee (Yemen).

The Arab World also produces animal products: a) Livestock – Cattle, buffaloes, goats, sheep and camels (Sudan, Egypt, Somalia, Morocco, Algeria and Syria) b) Fish – This industry is currently being improved with more modern technology to increase quantities. The countries include: Morocco, Egypt, Mauritania and Oman. c) Poultry – All countries in the Arab World produce poultry products such as chickens, ducks and pigeons. They have been developed to include meat and egg production in commercial quantities.

B. Mineral Resources

Oil is one of the main sources of energy and is used for transportation. It is the most important mineral resources in the Arab World as it I the main source of income for the Arab Gulf States. The Arab World contributed 27.8% of the world’s oil production in 1997.

In 1997, the Arab World contained about 62% of world oil reserves.

See tables on pages 53 and 54 to compare individual countries oil production.

Crude oil is transported in pipelines to oil fields which can either be within individual countries or pass through neighbouring countries. It is the shipped in tankers all over the

5 | P a g e S o c i a l S t u d i e s S t u d y G u i d e world. The main importers of Arab Oil are: Western Europe, Japan and The United States of America.

The discovery of oil in Arab Countries in the 1930s had a huge impact on their economies. Due to this, the oil producing countries joined together to create the OAPEC (the Organisation of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries) in 1968. It has 11 countries and the head office is found in Kuwait City.

Most of these countries are also part of the OPEC (Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries), which was established in 1960 and contains 11 country members (7 from the Arab World). It promotes co-operation between oil exporting countries and maintains the stability of oil prices.

The Arab World also produces phosphates and in 1996, they produced a quarter of the world’s total production. 90% of phosphates are used to manufacture fertilisers.

There are also other minerals which are mined in Morocco, Algeria, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. These include iron, magnesium, copper, lead, gold and zinc.

C. Industry

The Arab World is developing modern industry, so that economies depend less on the income from oil.

The most important industries are: FOOD, TEXTILES, IRON, OIL, CHEMICAL FERTILISERS, and CONSTRUCTION. (See page 59 for table of locations).

D. Trade

Trade is a big part of economies in the Arab World.

The most important exports are: Oil, Petro-chemicals, Chemical Fertilisers, Foodstuffs, Raw Materials and Textiles.

The most important imports are: Vehicle and Industrial equipment, Electronics, Military Hardware, Foodstuffs, Clothes and Cosmetics, Furniture and Bedding.

E.Human Resources

See page 61 for a table of population and population density of the Arab World in 1996. The population of the Arab World reached 258.84 million in 1996, accounting for 4% of the world’s total population.

1. China 22% 2. India 16% 3. Europe 8% 4. USA 5% 5. Arab World 4%6. Russia 3%

6 | P a g e S o c i a l S t u d i e s S t u d y G u i d e Bahrain is the smallest country but is the most densely populated (848 people per km). Population density is the number of people living in a certain area. High population densities are found in: Comoro Islands, Lebanon and Kuwait.

Most people live in:

 City areas

 Cultivated areas

 On coasts and river banks

 In industrial areas

They attract people to live there because of transport, standard of living, job opportunities, education and healthcare.

Less people live in the following areas:

 Deserts – little or no rain, very hot in summer

 Mountainous regions (parts of Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Yemen, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco)

 Tropical Regions – Heavy rain, hot weather and thick forests (such as parts of Sudan)

Example Questions:

What is population density? (1)

______

What is a cash crop? (Give examples in your answer) (2)

______

What kind of areas do most people live in and why? (Giveexample to explain your answer) (3)

______

7 | P a g e S o c i a l S t u d i e s S t u d y G u i d e Chapter 4 Ancient Egypt and Kush

Section 1: Geography and Ancient Egypt (page 86 - 89)

The Gift of the Nile

The Nile River brought life to Egypt, without it, civilization would not have been able to grow. This is why Egypt was known as The Gift of The Nile. The river is 4000 miles long, running north towards the Mediterranean Sea.

There were two regions in Ancient Egypt:

1. Lower Egypt, located in the North

2. Upper Egypt, located in the South

The Nile ran through the desert of Upper Egypt, where it created a 13 mile wide fertile river valley. Along the river you will find CATARACTS (strong rapids) which create the southern border of Upper Egypt. These rapids were very difficult to sail through and so helped to protect Upper Egypt from attack.

In Lower Egypt, the Nile spread out and formed a DELTA (triangle shaped area of land made of soil deposited by a river). This joined with the Mediterranean Sea and was covered with swamps and marshes. Over two thirds of Egypt’s fertile farmland was located in the Nile Delta.

The Nile River flooded in Upper Egypt during midsummer each year and Lower Egypt in the fall. This coated the land in fertile silt which made the land ideal for farming. The silt also gave the land a dark colour, which was why Egyptians called their country the black land. They called the desert beyond it the red land because of its red sand. These floods were a life giving miracle to the people of Egypt, without them, the Egyptians would never have survived.

Civilization Develops Along the Nile:

Hunter-gatherers moved into the area about 12,000 years ago. They were able to survive on the plants, wild animals and fish they found in the region. Over time, these people learned to farm and settled in small villages along the Nile River.

Similar to farmers in Mesopotamia, Egyptian farmers built irrigation and canals to collect water during the yearly floods and store it for future use. The canals would transport the water to fields during the dry months. Ancient Egyptian farmers grew wheat, barley, fruits and vegetables and raised cattle and sheep. This gave them a varied diet.

The Nile River also provided the Egyptians with protection from invasion as the cataracts prevent attacks from the south. The Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea also prevented attack or invasion. The deserts to the East and West protected from invasion as they were too harsh and big to cross.

8 | P a g e S o c i a l S t u d i e s S t u d y G u i d e These factors led to the rapid growth of villages. Wealthy farmers became leaders and would gain control of more than one village. By 3200 BC, the villages had come together into two kingdoms: Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt.

Kings Unify Egypt:

 The King of Lower Egypt ruled from a town called Pe

 He wore a red crown to symbolize his authority

 The capital of Upper Egypt was Nekhen

 The King of this kingdom wore a white cone shaped crown

 Circa 3100BC, a leader called Menes rose to power in Upper Egypt

 He wanted to unify Upper and Lower Egypt and finish the work of a king called Scorpion, who had started to do this in the past

 The armies of Menes invaded and took over Lower Egypt

 Menes then united the two kingdoms

 Menes married a princess from Lower Egypt to strengthen his control over the united country

 As Egypt’s ruler, Menes wore the crowns of both kingdoms – the white crown of Upper Egypt and the red crown of Lower Egypt

 This symbolised his leadership over the two kingdoms

 He later combined the two crowns to make a double crown

 Historians consider Menes to be Egypt’s first PHARAOH (ruler of Egypt)

 He also founded the first DYNASTY (a series of rulers from the same family)

 This dynasty lasted for about 200 years

 Pharaohs who came after Menes also wore a double crown

 He created a new capital city on the southern tip of the Nile Delta, later named MEMPHIS

 Eventually challengers took over control over Egypt and the Second Dynasty was established

Section 2 – The Old Kingdom:

The Old Kingdom:

The First and Second Dynasty were in power for about 400 years, before the Third Dynasty replaced them in circa 2700 BC. This was the start of the Old Kingdom, which lasted until about 2200 BC.

9 | P a g e S o c i a l S t u d i e s S t u d y G u i d e Rule By Pharaohs:

The Egyptian believed that the Pharaoh of Egypt was send down as a God. This meant that the people feared him and would always follow the rules, as they feared he would punish them.

The pharaoh had lots of responsibilities:

 He was blamed if crops did not grow well or if disease struck

 He had to make trade profitable

 He had to prevent wars

 He was in charge of the government (usually made up of the pharaoh’s family members)

 He needed to look after the Egyptian people

King Khufu ruled Egypt from 2500 BC. It is said that he was a very strict ruler, but he did make sure that his people were well fed. There are many statues that have been built for him.

BY 2200 BC, there were about 2 million people living in Egypt. Most people in Egypt were farmers, who were near the bottom of the social hierarchy (similar to Sumerian Social Hierarchy). The rich people (often family members of the pharaoh) were at the top, while poor people were at the bottom.

Religion and Egyptian Life:

Egyptians believed in polytheism (more than one god) and had a god for nearly everything. They also believed in the Afterlife (life after death). They thought that all people had a KA (a spirit or life force of a person) which was released after a person died; because of this, they would leave all of the items a person needed in the tomb for the Ka to use in the afterlife.

When a person died, the body would be embalmed and wrapped in special cloth to create a mummy. The mummy would then be placed in a SARCOPHAGUS (a specially designed coffin) and left in the tomb. Only the rich elite could afford a mummy and sarcophagus, so the poor peasants would be buried in a shallow grave in the desert.

Section 3 – The Middle and New Kingdom:

 At the end of the Old Kingdom the building and maintain pyramids cost a lot of money and Pharaohs could not keep up with the expenses.

 Rich Nobles used this and their power to take power from the pharaoh

 Nobles gained enough power to challenge the pharaohs

10 | P a g e S o c i a l S t u d i e s S t u d y G u i d e  2200BC the Old Kingdom had fallen

 Nobles battled each other for power

The Fall of the Old Kingdom:

 The Kingdom had no central ruler  Trade with foreign land was disrupted  Farming declined  People faced economic hardship and famine

The Middle Kingdom (2200 BC – 1750 BC)  The Hyksos from southwest Asia invaded  They used horses, chariots and brass weapons to conquer lower Egypt  They ruled for 200 years  The Egyptians did not like being ruled by the Hyksos

 They resented paying taxes to foreign rulers

Ahmose of Thebes:  Egyptians fought back against the Hyksos

 In 1500 BC Ahmose drove the Hyksos out of Egypt

 He then declared himself King

The New Kingdom:  They took the homeland of the Hyksos.

 Then continued north and conquered Syria

 By 1400 BC Egypt was the leading military power

 This made Egypt rich

 To prevent any future invasions Egyptians took control of all possible invasion routes into the kingdom

Queen Hatshepsut:  Larger territory brought Egyptian traders into contact with more distant lands

 Queen Hatshepsut sent traders south to trade with Punt on the Red sea and north to trade with Asia minor and Greece

 She is known for the impressive monuments built during her time

Ramses the Great:  Ramses is one of the longest ruling pharaohs of Egypt

11 | P a g e S o c i a l S t u d i e s S t u d y G u i d e  He fought with the Hittite for years

 Unable to defeat each other the two sides signed a treaty and later became allies

Example Questions:

1. What is the afterlife? (1) ______

2. What was the Old Kingdom? (2) ______

3. Explain why the Old Kingdom fell (3) ______

12 | P a g e S o c i a l S t u d i e s S t u d y G u i d e