WebQuest – Civics/Government Systems of SW Asia

*Directions – Use what you have learned so far this school year (and Google) to research and
answer the following questions.

1) What is an aspect of a unitary government?

A. Most power is in the hands of individual voters.
B. Most power is in the hands of kings and advisors
C. Most power is in the hands of local governments
D. Most power is in the hands of a central government.

2) In a confederate government (confederation) most of the power is in the hands

of the
A. Legislature
B. Individual voters
C. Local governments
D. Central government

3) What is a disadvantage of a confederate government (confederation)?

A. A confederation is very expensive
B. Confederations are too large to rule effectively
C. A confederation does not share power with its members
D. The central government has only as much power as the local governments are willing
to give up.

4) Which of the following countries is an example of a federal government?

A. Israel
B. Iran
C. Kuwait
D. Saudi Arabia

5) Which country is an example of a unitary system?

A. Syria
B. Lebanon
C. Saudi Arabia
D. The United States of America

6) An absolute monarchy is an example of a(n) _______________.

A. Autocracy
B. Democracy
C. Parliamentary Democracy
D. Federal System

7) What is the number one way that citizens participate in the government?
A. Volunteering
B. Promoting a candidate
C. Attending political party meetings
D. Voting

8) Who makes most of the important governmental decisions in an oligarchy?

A. Small group of powerful leaders
B. The emperor
C. The people
D. The legislature

9) Who is the most powerful elected official in Iran?

A. President
B. Prime Minister
C. Supreme Leader (Ayatollah)
D. Head of Parliament
10) _______________ governments are those that permit the nation's citizens to
manage their government.
A. Autocratic
B. Oligarchic
C. Democratic

11)How long does a monarch rule?

A. Until he dies or chooses to give up power.
B. one elected term
C. a term for 10 years
D. As long as parliament allows him to rule.

12) In a parliamentary democracy, _______________ must decide whom to elect

as prime minister.
A. The people
B. The President
C. The majority party in Parliament
D. The minority party in Parliament

13) What is Shariah law?

A. Laws based on the teachings of the Quran
B. Laws calling for a separation of church and state
C. Laws made by the king alone
D. Laws that allow women to vote

14) Which Southwest Asian country permits only men to vote in elections?
A. Israel
B. Iran
C. Saudi Arabia
D. Kuwait

15) The Israeli parliament is called the:

A. House of Representatives
B. National Assembly
C. Knesset
D. Senate
Use the map above to complete the following

16. What country is labeled by number 3?

A. Saudi Arabia
B. Turkey
C. Egypt
D. Israel
17. What country is labeled by number 6?
A. Saudi Arabia
B. Iraq
C. Iran
D. Israel
Use the map above to complete the following

18. What feature is labeled by number 2?

A. Arabian Sea
B. Suez Canal
C. Persian Gulf
D. Red Sea
19. What feature is labeled by number 3?
A. Arabian Sea
B. Red Sea
C. Strait of Hormuz
D. Persian Gulf

20. What is the 120-mile man-made waterway that is used to transport goods from the Red Sea
to the Mediterranean Sea?
A. Gaza Strip
B. Suez Canal
C. Persian Gulf
D. Panama Canal

21. Why is the Suez Canal so important to international shipping?

A. It allows ships to get out of the Persian Gulf.
B. It connects the Jordan River to the Persian Gulf, making it cheaper to ship oil to other parts of
Southwest Asia.
C. It makes it possible to get from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea without sailing around
Africa.
D. It is Iraq’s only waterway to the Persian Gulf.
22. What are three major water problems in Southwest Asia?
A. Water shortages, unequal distribution, pollution
B. Flooding, pollution, dams
C. Too much ground water, aquifers, pollution
D. Water shortages, flooding, pollution

23. Which country’s water treatment plants have been damaged by decades of war?
A. Turkey
B. Syria
C. Saudi Arabia
D. Iraq

24. Because of its harsh climate, which country has to rely on desalination plants to provide
most of its citizens’ drinking water?
A. Israel
B. Turkey
C. Saudi Arabia
D. Syria

25. Pollution from oil spills on the Black Sea contaminate this country’s water supply:
A. Saudi Arabia
B. Turkey
C. Israel
D. Iran

26. The oldest religion in Southwest Asia is:

A. Judaism
B. Christianity
C. Islam
D. Buddhism

27. What issue led to the split between the Sunni and Shia Muslims?
A. The Shia wanted to change direction of prayer to Medina, rather than Mecca.
B. The Sunni wanted to change part of the Five Pillars.
C. The Shia believed only Arabs could be Muslims, the Sunni did not.
D. They disagreed over who should lead Muslims after Muhammad’s death.

28. Which country has fought military battles over water rights to the Jordan River?
A. Israel
B. Iran
C. Afghanistan
D. Saudi Arabia
 29. This 25-mile territory has been a source of dispute between Israel and its neighbors for
many years:
A. Gaza Strip
B. Persian Gulf
C. Strait of Hormuz
D. Suez Canal

30. Where do most Middle Eastern Jews live?

A. Saudi Arabia
B. Israel
C. Iran
D. Iraq
SS7CG5 (Extra Credit)

Use the following links to answer the questions below.

31) Israel is a(n) _______________ consisting of legislative, executive, and

judicial branches.

o http://www.mfa.gov.il/MFA/Government/Facts+about+Israel-
+The+State/A+Free+People+in+Our+Land-
+Israel+as+a+Parliamentary+Democracy.htm

32) The Islamic Republic of Iran is a revolutionary _______________ state formed

in 1979.

o http://www.irantracker.org/basics/islamic-republic-iran-0