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BEFORE YOU WATCH: The Middle East and World War I

Use the “Three Close Reads” approach as you watch the video below.
Use the “Three Close Reads” approach as you watch the video below (next in the lineup!). If you want to learn more about this strategy, click here.

First read: preview and skimming for gist

Before you watch, you should skim the transcript first. The skim should be very quick and give you the gist (general idea) of what the video is about. You should be looking at the title, thumbnails, pictures, and first few seconds of the video for the gist.

Second read: key ideas and understanding content

Now that you’ve skimmed the video transcript and taken a quick peek at the video, you should preview the questions you will be answering. These questions will help you get a better understanding of the concepts and arguments that are presented in the video. Keep in mind that when you watch the video, it is a good idea to write down any vocab you read or hear that is unfamiliar to you.
By the end of the second close read, you should be able to answer the following questions:
  1. What was the Middle East like in 1914?
  2. According to Dr. Genell, what was the purpose of the Ottoman Declaration of Jihad?
  3. Who was Sharif Hussein, and how did the British convince him to join the war?
  4. Why did Sharif Hussein not get what he wanted after the war?
  5. What were mandates?
  6. What identities became important after the war? Why?

Third read: evaluating and corroborating

Finally, here are some questions that will help you focus on why this video matters how it connects to other content you’ve studied.
At the end of the third read, you should be able to respond to these questions:
  1. Looking at the three maps of the Middle East in this video—1914, 1923, and the twenty-first century—what do you think was the most important way that World War I changed the region in the past 100 years?
Now that you know what to look for, it’s time to watch! Remember to return to these questions once you’ve finished watching.

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