622 Prophet Muhammad founds Islamic religion, which spreads throughout Middle
East over next five centuries.
1453 Turkish Ottoman Empire conquers most of Middle East.
1501 Persia regains nominal independence.
1882 Great Britain occupies Egypt.
1897 Zionist movement is founded to foster Jewish immigration into Palestine.
1906 Shah of Iran grants constitutional government.
1917 Balfour Declaration promises British aid for establishment of Jewish homeland in
Palestine.
1917 T. E. Lawrence (Lawrence of Arabia) helps inspire modern Arabian nationalism or Pan-Arabism.
1918 At end of World War II, Ottoman Empire is dissolved; Turkey and Egypt gain nominal independence from European domination.
1920 League of Nations mandates parts of Middle East to France and Britain.
1930's Jewish and Palestinian paramilitary groups form, and violence in Palestine intensifies.
1932 Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is established.
1933 (Jan.) Nazi rise to power in Germany encourages increased Jewish emigration to Palestine.
1935 Persia is officially renamed Iran.
1936 Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon gain nominal independence from European domination.
1939-1945 During World War II parts of Middle East become battlegrounds, and European domination of region is permanently weakened.
1948 (May) Formation of Jewish state of Israel leads directly to first Israeli-Arab war.
1956 Second Israeli-Arab War is fought over Suez Canal.
War I, which began the transformation of the Middle East into its modern form. However, that transformation began in the latter part of the nineteenth century with the emergence of Zionism.
World History
