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Weekly Online LessonOnline Lesson ArchiveGrade Level: 6-10
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Saudi Arabia
Crown
Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia recently offered a peace proposal to end
the longstanding Israel-Palestinian conflict. Under the proposed agreement,
Israel would withdraw from the lands it occupied in the Six-Day War in
1967, and, in return, its Arab neighbors would normalize relations with
the Jewish state.
The proposal is gaining support. It would effectively end seventeen months of bloodshed, establish an independent Palestinian state with its capital in Jerusalem, and give Israel the greatest degree of peace and security it has ever known.
But the Saudi Arabia plan still has many roadblocks. Not all Arab nations have agreed to the proposal. Conservative Israelis strongly oppose giving up one inch of the occupied lands. And extremists on both sides may try to derail the peace process through continued terrorist tactics.
In this week's online lesson you will learn about Saudi Arabia and its interests in the region.
Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia
The
first stop this week is the site of the Royal
Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington D.C. Here you will find
an excellent introduction to the country and its people. The main destination
here is the Profile
of Saudi Arabia section. Read the introduction on the right. How
big is Saudi Arabia compared to the United States? What is the capital
city? Name the two holy cities in the Hijaz region.
Click History and read the introduction on the main page. Then read Early History, Islam History, and Modern History. Describe the role of the Al-Saud family in establishing and ruling the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. What makes Saudi Arabia such a special place in the Islamic world?
Return
to the Profile
page and click Government.
Read the first and second
pages of the introduction. The government of Saudi Arabia is rooted in
the laws and traditions of which religion? Name the executive and legislative
branches of the government. Why was it necessary to re-evaluate the country's
political and administrative system in the 1970s?
Return to the Profile page and click Energy & Minerals. Read the first and second pages. How much of the world's proven oil reserves lie beneath the sands and offshore waters of Saudi Arabia? How has this rich reserve influenced the country and its economy? Click and read the other links you see on the left. What is OPEC and what are its goals? What other energy resources other than oil does Saudi Arabia harness?
Return
to the Profile
page and click Culture
& The Arts. Read the first and second
pages. How old is the culture of the Arabian Peninsula? How did the advent
of Islam influence the Arabian culture? What steps have been taken to
preserve the nation's cultural and artistic heritage?
Go back to the Main Embassy page, click Multimedia, and then click Video Clips. Watch each of the nine short videos listed (requires Real Player). Summarize what you learn from each video.
Lonely Planet
Visit
Lonely Planet's Destination
Saudi Arabia site to learn about this country from a tourist's
perspective.
Read Facts for the Traveler. Why is it so difficult to visit Saudi Arabia as a tourist? When is the best time of year to visit?
Read Attractions. What are the main places of interest to visitors of Saudi Arabia?
Read Culture. Describe the Ardha, the country's national dance. Describe Saudi Arabian dress for men and women. Name three traditional foods.
Read Environment. What countries border Saudi Arabia? How would you characterize its climate? What animal life might you see there?
Saudi Arabia - A Country Study
For further readings or research about Saudi Arabia, visit the Library of Congress Saudi Arabia country study. As you review the table of contents you will see that this site contains information about many of the topics you have already read about. Here, however, you will find greater detail, so much so that you should consider using the search utility at the top of the page to find specific information.
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