NAME DATE CLASS

Geography and History Activity

Islamic Civilization

Lesson 1 A New Faith

Understanding Places:
The Arabian Peninsula

History
The Arabian peninsula has played an important part in the history of the
world. It is the location from which Islam and Arabic language and culture
spread.

In modern-day Arabia, no single nation rules the peninsula. From the

Mediterranean Sea south to the Arabian Sea, the peninsula is divided into
seven countries. The largest of these countries is Saudi Arabia.

Geography
In ancient times, the peninsula’s location made it a crossroads for trade.
Caravans carrying cloth and carpets traveled east to Asia to trade for silks
and spices. Traders traveling west to Africa or north to the Mediterranean
also crossed the peninsula. In later centuries, the Arab Empire grew
wealthy from such trade.

In modern times, a new source of wealth was discovered on the

peninsula: oil. Later discoveries were made in the twentieth century in
each of the countries between the Syrian border and the Arabian Sea.
Today, the Arabian peninsula has the largest oil reserves in the world.

To meet its growing need for oil, the United States helped develop many
of the oil fields on the peninsula. In 2014, the United States imported

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about 9 million barrels of oil a day. The United States imports more oil
from Saudi Arabia than from any other country on the Arabian peninsula.
NAME DATE CLASS

Geography and History Activity Cont.

Islamic Civilization

Culture
The discovery of oil in the Arabian peninsula had an enormous impact on
the culture of Arabia. The money gained from oil has transformed the
culture. Many of the old patterns of living are changing. While the vast oil
revenues have brought better health care, education, and an overall
higher standard of living for people, the rapid cultural change has been
unsettling for many. The blending of Arabian culture with western culture
presents both opportunities and problems for the people and countries of
the peninsula.

Saudi Arabian Oil Reserves

0 400 miles
SYRIA
Mediterranean 0 400 km
Sea IRAQ Lambert Azimuthal
Equal-Area projection

JORDAN KUWAIT
Pe

an
rs

SAUDI
i

N Gu
ARABIA l f
W E
Riyadh U.A.E.
S QATAR OMAN
Makkah

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Re
d

KEY
Se
a

Oil YEMEN
Arabian
Sea
NAME DATE CLASS

Geography and History Activity Cont.

Islamic Civilization

Directions Answer the following questions.

Understanding the Concept

1. Describing How many countries are on the Arabian peninsula
today?
Seven countries

2. Identifying In what century were oil fields discovered in the Arabian

peninsula?
The twenty century

3. Locating Look at the map. Where are most of Saudi Arabia’s oil
fields located?
The Persian gulf and Qatar

Applying the Concept

4. Determining Cause and Effect How has the discovery of oil brought
about positive changes on the Arabian peninsula?
It changed the life quality in the Arabian peninsularbecause of the increasi
ng economy

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5. Analyzing What effect has oil had on the culture of the Arabian
peninsula?
The fusion between the Arabian culture and the westerns culture.

6. Drawing Conclusions What conclusion can you make about oil

being discovered on the Arabian peninsula?
It make an enormous effect because it could allow to improve the life qu
ality but also allow to diffuse two different cultures.