Turkish Culture and Society - World Affairs Council

March 26, 2008 

Resources 

compiled 

by: Regan 

Austin, 

Jesse 

DeLauder, 

Rebecca 

Luhrs, 

Laura 

Adriance, 

Austin 

Stockwell & 

Tese Wintz- 

Neighbor 

Funded in part by 

the Turkish 

Cultural 

Foundation 

Turkish Culture and Society: 

Where East Meets West 

Photo by Robert Herold 

A Resource Packet for Educators

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

TURKEY FACT SHEET 3 

USING THIS RESOURCE GUIDE 4 

GENERAL & INTRODUCTORY RESOURCES 4 

HISTORY 6 

CULTURE 9 

LITERATURE 11 

ARTS 13 

LANGUAGE 16 

CUISINE 16 

EDUCATION 17 

RELIGION 18 

WOMEN 22 

DIVERSITY 23 

POLITICS 25 

REGIONAL CONFLICTS 28 

TURKEY & THE EUROPEAN UNION 29 

MIDDLE EAST 31 

LOCAL/NATION RESOURCES & ORGANIZATIONS 33 

NEWS SOURCES 35 

FILMS 36 

BOOKS 36 

STUDY UNIT: TURKEY & THE EUROPEAN UNION 38 

TURKEY & THE EUROPEAN UNION – OVERVIEW 39 

CROSSWORD 41 

CROSSWORD KEY 42 

EUROPE’S AMBIVALENCE TOWARD TURKEY 43 

COMPREHENSION CHECK 46 

PARAGRAPH EXERCISE 47 

COMPREHENSION CHECK – ANSWER KEY 48 

UNDERSTANDING THE OPTIONS: 

TURKEY’S VIEW OF EU CANDIDACY – ACTIVITY 49 

UNDERSTANDING THE OPTIONS – EVALUATION FORM 50 

CBA LESSON PACKET: 

THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE: 

SULEIMAN THE MAGNIFICENT 51 

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TURKEY FACT SHEET 

Capital: Ankara 

Language: Turkish 

Currency: New Turkish Lira (YTL) 

Area: 314,500 square miles; slightly larger than Texas 

Independence: October 29, 1923 

Total Population: 70.7 million 

Population Growth: 1.06% 

Religion: 99.8% Muslim; 1% Armenian Orthodox, Greek Orthodox, Jewish, Catholic and 

others; only country in the Muslim world with a constitutional provision on secularism. 

Ethnic Groups: 80% Turkish; 20% Kurdish 

Life Expectancy at Birth: 72.62 years 

Total Fertility Rate: 1.92 Children born/woman 

Literacy Rate: 86.50% 

Gross National Product (GNP): $299,475 billion U.S. 

dollars; 17 th biggest economy in the world 

GNP Growth Rate: 9.9% 

Labor Force by Occupation: agriculture 35.9%; industry 

22.8%; services 41.2% 

Unemployment Rate: 9% 

Percentage of Defense Expenditures in GNP: 7.3% 

Percentage of Education Expenditures in GNP: 7.3% 

Number of Tourists Received: 17.4 million (2004) 

Population of Turkish Citizens Living Abroad: 5 million 

Industries: textiles, food processing, autos, electronics, mining, steel, petroleum, construction, 

lumber, paper 

Exports: Apparel, foodstuffs, textiles, metal manufacturers, transport equipment 

Imports: Machinery, chemicals, semi-finished goods, fuels, transport equipment 

Agriculture Products: tobacco, cotton, grain, olives, sugar beets, pulse, citrus, livestock 

Current Environmental Issues: water pollution from dumping of chemicals and detergents; air 

pollution, particularly in urban areas; deforestation; concern for oil spills from increasing ship 

traffic 

Sources: 

http://www.turkishembassy.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=297&Itemid=313 

https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/tu.html. 

http://newsvote.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4305656.stm?markResults=true&a_01=1&a_02=3&a_03=1&a_04=3&a_05=3&a_06=2&a_07=2 

&a_08=2&a_09=3&a_10=3&a_11=1&a_12=1&x=40&y=15 

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USING THIS RESOURCE GUIDE 

Please note: many descriptions were excerpted directly from the organizations’ website 

Packet first published: 03/27/2007; Updated: 01/25/08; Websites checked: 01/24/08 

Indicates recommended resources. 

Indicates resources that include lesson plans. 

GENERAL & INTRODUCTORY RESOURCES 

LIBRARY OF CONGRESS COUNTRY PROFILE: TURKEY 

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/frd/cs/trtoc.html 

This is a comprehensive profile on Turkey compiled by the U.S. Library of Congress. It 

contains detailed information split into different chapters focusing on Turkey’s origin, 

history, society, culture, economy, politics, and national security. 

WHO ARE THE TURKS? 

http://www.ataturk.com/content/view/28/62/ 

This educator’s guide to Turkey was published by the American Forum for Global 

Education in partnership with several Turkish organizations. It is extremely comprehensive 

and split into two parts: one covering history, society, and politics, and the other covering 

literature and art. Each unit consists of detailed lesson plans, complete with handouts, maps, 

and pictures. (Grade Levels 4-8) 

BBC COUNTRY PROFILE: TURKEY 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/country_profiles/1022222.stm 

The BBC Country Profile includes background information on Turkey, country facts, and 

leadership and media information. It also links to recent news articles relating to Turkey. 

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC COUNTRY PROFILE: TURKEY 

http://www3.nationalgeographic.com/places/countries/country_turkey.html 

This site contains general information about Turkey, including fast facts, maps, history, 

related articles, and travel links. 

CENTER FOR STRATEGIC & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES (CSIS): TURKEY 

http://www.csis.org/turkey/ 

The CSIS Turkey Project was established in June 1994 as the first program in Washington 

D.C. focusing exclusively on Turkey. Through its continuous tracking and analysis of 

Turkish developments and its regular Turkey Updates, the Turkey Project has made a 

significant contribution to the policy debate about Turkey in Washington. 

ECONOMIST COUNTRY BRIEFING: TURKEY 

http://www.economist.com/countries/Turkey/ 

Contains recent articles on Turkey, a basic fact sheet, statistics, an explanation of the political 

structure, and a map, among other useful links. 

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WORLD BANK PROFILE: TURKEY 

http://www.worldbank.org.tr/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/ECAEXT/TURKE 

YEXTN/0,,menuPK:361718~pagePK:141159~piPK:141110~theSitePK:361712,00.html 

Turkey joined the World Bank in 1947 and the International Finance Corporation (IFC) in 

1956. Since the start of the country program, 163 projects for a total amount of $25.3 billion 

were approved by the World Bank’s Board of Directors. Overall commitments for active 

projects reached about $6 billion, corresponding to 37 percent of the World Bank’s Europe 

and Central Asia Region lending and six percent of the institution’s overall active lending. 

MIDDLE EAST INSTITUTE: TURKEY 

http://www.mideasti.org/countries/countries.php?name=turkey 

Since 1946, the Middle East Institute has been an important conduit of information between 

Middle Eastern nations and American policymakers, organizations, and the public. This 

website contains background information on Turkey, links to related sites, and recent articles 

concerning Turkey’s relations with its neighbors. 

TURKISH ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL STUDIES FOUNDATION (TESEV) 

http://www.tesev.org.tr/eng/ 

TESEV is an independent think-tank, which forms a bridge between academic research and 

the policy-making process. TESEV carries out research based on scientific principles, and 

seeks to share its findings with the widest possible audience. 

ISTANBUL OFFICIAL WEBSITE 

http://www.ibb.gov.tr/en-US/AnaSayfa/ 

This website has information specifically on the city of Istanbul, including recent news 

developments, information about organizations in the city, weather, tourist information, 

photo galleries, and information about the Mayor of Istanbul. 

GOVERNORSHIP OF ISTANBUL 

http://english.istanbul.gov.tr/ 

This Istanbul Portal is presented by Istanbul’s Governor’s office, the highest state office of 

the province, and it aims at being a source for the public to learn more about Istanbul. It 

contains information about the history of the city, promotional films, culture in Istanbul, as 

well as has pictures and maps of the city. 

VIDEO: WELCOME TO ISTANBUL 

http://blip.tv/file/585995 

This is a link to a short video describing the city of Istanbul, Turkey. 

VIDEO: ISTANBUL 

http://www.ersineser.us/ 

This is an excellent video on Istanbul by Veysel Gencten. 

TURKISH STATISTICAL INSTITUTE (SIS) 

http://www.die.gov.tr/ENGLISH/index.html 

The State Institute of Statistics (SIS) is a technical and scientific institute which produces 

publications to fulfill Turkey's information needs on social, economic, and cultural subjects. 

5

The main function of SIS is to comprehensively determine information needs, collect and 

compile data, and finally, to present information to its users according to the highest 

international standards. The site contains the Statistical Yearbook for 2005, which is a lengthy 

PDF file listing statistics and information on numerous aspects of Turkish society. 

PERMANENT MISSION OF TURKEY TO THE UNITED NATIONS 

http://www.un.int/turkey/ 

The Permanent Mission of Turkey to the UN invites visitors to browse its site to learn about 

Turkey’s activities at the United Nations. The site is frequently updated and contains a 

variety of links regarding modern life in Turkey. It also contains information about Turkey’s 

bid to become a member of the United Nation’s Security Council in 2009. 

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC: ISTANBUL ON EDGE 

http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0210/feature6/index.html?fs=www3.nationalg 

eographic.com&fs=plasma.nationalgeographic.com 

“Anxiety fills Turkey’s biggest city: The economy is volatile, secularism is under fire, and an 

earthquake is coming.” This site provides an excerpt from a National Geographic article 

describing the current situation in Istanbul, touching on politics, culture, and history. It also 

links to a map and to images of Istanbul. 

OUTREACH WORLD: TURKEY UNIT 

http://www.outreachworld.org/resource.asp?CurriculumID=33 

This unit aims to expose students to a Middle Eastern country in a positive way. The 

activities focus on the theme of Turkey, comparing Turkish life with American students' 

experiences. 

DID YOU KNOW THAT ABOUT TURKEY? 

http://www.adiyamanli.org/did_know_these.htm 

This site is a list of 43 interesting facts about different aspects of Turkey and its people. 

TURKEY PRESENTATION 

http://www.goldenhorn-rotary.com/ercu/ERCU_FLASH_eng.html 

This is a 10-minute long video presentation showing pictures of Turkey alongside some 

interesting facts about the country. 

ALL ABOUT TURKEY 

http://allaboutturkey.com/ 

This site was developed by a Turkish tour guide and is meant to introduce visitors to the 

basics of Turkish history, culture, politics, regions, and to Turkey’s tourist destinations. It 

also contains photos from tours in Turkey. 

HISTORY 

HISTORY OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE AND TURKEY SINCE 1918 

http://www.zum.de/whkmla/region/asmin/xturkey.html 

This site includes maps, historical documents, a music clip of the national anthem, as well as 

excellent citations and references. 

6

TURKISH ODYSSEY 

http://www.turkishodyssey.com/turkey/history/history.htm 

This site takes a look at Turkey’s history beginning with the very early ages. Each chapter 

covers a certain period of history, making the site easy to navigate. It also links to images of 

Turkey and to other information concerning the composition of Turkish society. 

THE HISTORY OF THE TURKISH EMPIRE 

http://books.google.com/books?vid=LCCN05017306&id=LFbTIBgjbqQC&pg=PA257 

This is an online chapter from a book which discusses the development of early civilizations. 

This chapter focuses specifically on the rise of the Turkish Empire. 

FULL MAP OF EUROPE IN 1600 

http://www.euratlas.com/big/big1600.htm 

This easy to read color coated map outlines the borders of the Ottoman Empire and puts it 

into perspective with the rest of the region. 

OTTOMAN WEBSITE 

http://www.osmanli700.gen.tr/english/engindex.html 

Here you can read the profiles of key sultans and leaders from the Ottoman Empire. 

THE OTTOMANS 

http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/OTTOMAN/CONTENTS.HTM 

This is a comprehensive slide show covering the foundations and the history of the Ottoman 

Empire. 

DISCOVER THE OTTOMANS 

http://www.theottomans.org/english/index.asp 

This site aims to become the leading information portal regarding the history, military, 

culture, and arts of the Ottoman Empire, which once dominated a large territory from Egypt 

to Russia, and from India to Austria. Theottomans.org will be a sponsorship oriented noncommercial 

website that will soon trade art and is also home of the interactive game 

“Constantinople 1453.” 

THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE 

http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/suleyman/ 

In this lesson plan, students will come to understand the state of the Ottoman Empire 

during the reign of Suleiman the Magnificent, as well as its strategic position as a crossroads 

of trade between Europe and Asia. (Grade Levels 9-12) 

BYZANTIUM 

http://school.discovery.com/lessonplans/programs/byzantium/ 

Students will draw a large timeline to talk about the history behind the city of Byzantium, 

which later became Constantinople, and which is now called Istanbul. Students will learn 

about major leaders, economic developments, social changes, military activity, and other 

major events in the city during that time. (Grade Levels 9-12) 

7

TEACHING OTTOMAN HISTORY: A PRIMER 

http://cmes.hmdc.harvard.edu/files/Teaching_Ottoman_History.pdf 

The Ottoman Empire was an innovative and multicultural state that lasted for over 600 

years. In its heyday, its economic power and military successes made it feared as well as 

admired in Europe and elsewhere. This resource introduces brief background information 

and resources on the often misunderstood Ottoman Empire as well as a few innovative 

curriculum possibilities. (All grade levels) 

REMAINS OF THE DAY: LEARNING ABOUT ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS 

THROUGH ARTIFACTS 

http://www.nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20011226wednesday.html?pagewanted 

=all 

In this lesson, students learn about how archaeologists discovered and pieced together 

artifacts that indicate a Celtic presence in ancient Turkey. Students then research ancient 

civilizations and create archaeological digs containing items representative of these cultures. 

(Grade Levels 6-12) 

HISTORY FOUNDATION OF TURKEY 

http://www.tarihvakfi.org.tr/english/default.asp 

The History Foundation is a non-governmental organization working in the public interest 

with the objective of developing and extending history consciousness in Turkey. It aims at 

enriching and lending a new content to the way in which people regard history and at 

encouraging the conservation of the historical heritage with a deep-rooted sensitivity and 

active participation of wide sections of the population. 

CATALHOYUK 

http://www.catalhoyuk.com/ 

This website is designed for those interested in the ongoing excavations at Çatalhöyük, 

Turkey. Its aim is to provide information about the activities of the project and of the 

different aspects of the research being conducted at Çatalhöyük. The Neolithic site of 

Çatalhöyük was first discovered in the late 1950s and excavated by James Mellaart between 

1961 and 1965. The site rapidly became famous internationally due to the large size and 

dense occupation of the settlement, as well as the spectacular wall paintings and other art 

that was uncovered inside the houses. 

BBC: RELIGION & ETHICS – ISLAM (OTTOMAN EMPIRE) 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/history/ottomanempire_1.shtml 

This seven-page overview asks “why was the Empire successful?” It covers Constantinople, 

the status of other religions, sultans and the court, Suleiman, and the empire’s decline. 

PROJECT TROIA 

http://www.uni-tuebingen.de/troia/eng/index.html 

Project Troia is an archeological excavation taking place in the northwest region of Turkey. 

The site at Troy has become an important point of reference for the chronology of the 

ancient world from the early Bronze Age through the Roman Empire. In 1988, the 

excavations at Troy were resumed, and this site tracks the international groups carrying out 

the work in the area. 

8

UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE TURKEY SITE 

http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/tr/ 

This site contains information about places in Turkey that have been placed on the World 

Heritage List. 

ENCARTA: THE HITTITES 

http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/RefArticle.aspx?refid=761563583 

This is an article from Encarta Encyclopedia on the Hittites. The Hittites were an ancient 

people who, in 1900 B.C., invaded the region that is now known as Anatolia, Turkey. 

THE GLORY OF BYZANTIUM 

http://www.metmuseum.org/explore/Byzantium/byz_1.html 

The Byzantine Empire, founded when the capital of the Roman Empire was transferred 

from Rome to Constantinople in 324, existed in the eastern Mediterranean area until the 

fifteenth century. This article was created specifically for educators by the Metropolitan 

Museum and contains a brief history of the Byzantine Empire. There is also a link to 

Teacher’s Resources with a lesson plan and class activities about Byzantine art and culture. 

NOAH’S ARK 

http://www.arksearch.com/ 

Located in the northeast corner of Turkey, close to the borders of Iran and Armenia (formerly 

Soviet Union), is Mount Ararat. There is a great amount of research being done to locate and 

document the Ark of Noah, which is thought to have existed on Mount Ararat 

CULTURE 

TURKISH CULTURAL FOUNDATION 

http://www.turkishculturalfoundation.org/ 

The Turkish Cultural Foundation aims to promote and preserve Turkish culture and heritage 

worldwide, support education for disadvantaged students in Turkey, support research related to 

Turkey, and help to build cultural bridges between Turkey and other countries. This website 

contains a wealth of information concerning Turkish cuisine, lifestyle, philosophy, art, music, 

military, culture, and more. 

REPUBLIC OF TURKEY: MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND TOURISM 

http://www.kultur.gov.tr/EN/Default.aspx?17A16AE30572D313D4AF1EF75F7A79681D 

9DD78D03148A6E 

This website was created by the Turkish government to inform the public about the 

importance of culture in Turkey. Contains links to television clips, Turkish music, 

promotional films, as well as general information on Turkish arts and tourism. 

NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC: WORLD MUSIC - TURKEY 

http://worldmusic.nationalgeographic.com/worldmusic/view/page.basic/country/content. 

country/turkey_45?fs=www3.nationalgeographic.com&fs=plasma.nationalgeographic.com 

The music of Turkey is wonderfully diverse, and – despite the historical presence of various 

political strategies and decrees meant to dampen down (if entirely not stamp out) individual 

traditions – these rich styles have managed to survive and even flourish. This site allows you 

9

to listen to both traditional and contemporary Turkish music, and provides general 

information on music in Turkey, as well as profiles for specific Turkish artists. 

MUSIC OF TURKEY 

http://www.discoverturkey.com/english/kultursanat/muzik.html 

Hosted by the Turkish Ministry of Culture, this site allows you to listen to a wide range of 

Turkish music, from traditional folk songs to modern pop music. It also has information 

about traditional Turkish instruments. 

TURKISH MUSIC PORTAL 

http://www.turkishmusicportal.org/ 

The Turkish Music Portal is the most comprehensive website about Turkish Music. The site 

is accessible both in English and Turkish. 

ISTANBUL FOUNDATION FOR CULTURE AND ARTS 

http://www.iksv.org/muzik/english/ 

A majority of the information on this site concerns the annual Istanbul international music 

festival, which is now celebrating its thirty-fifth year. 

CULTURAL DETAILS OF SANLIURFA 

http://goturkey.turizm.gov.tr/BelgeGoster.aspx?17A16AE30572D3137A2395174CFB32E1 

04C841C36B5D3393 

Şanlıurfa lies in what archaeologists call the Fertile Crescent. North of Mesopotamia, it 

constitutes a bridge joining Anatolia, Mesopotamia, and Asia. For thousands of years, trade 

and cultural exchange between Mesopotamia and Anatolia were carried out across Şanlıurfa, 

creating a rich cultural heritage in the province. 

CULTURAL BATHS 

http://www.theculturedtraveler.com/Archives/NOV2001/Turkish_Baths.htm 

If you ask a foreigner in Turkey what the words Ottoman and Turkey call to mind, many will 

say, "Turkish baths," better known in Turkey as “hamams.” “Hamams” are an intriguing 

subject, as their history reflects a synthesis between the East and West. Through the history 

of the “hamam,” it is possible to trace developments and changes in the arts, architecture, 

cultural traditions, and inclinations over the centuries, as well as to track the rise and fall of 

nations and empires. 

ISTANBUL MODERN 

http://www.istanbulmodern.org/en/f_index.html 

This website comes from the Istanbul Museum of Modern Art. Here one can find 

information about current, past, and upcoming exhibits, as well as view a wide selection of 

paintings, photographs, and educational material. 

TURKISH CULTURE: CEREMONIES 

http://www.turkishculture.org/pages.php?ParentID=12&ID=57 

This website provides a comprehensive list of traditional ceremonies, as well as descriptions 

and explanations of these ceremonies. 

10

THE TURKISH MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND TOURISM: FESTIVALS, 

CEREMONIES, AND CELEBRATIONS 

http://www.kultur.gov.tr/EN/BelgeGoster.aspx?17A16AE30572D313A781CAA92714FC 

E0907A48226BB53664 

This website provides a link to descriptions, pictures, and examples of Turkish religious, 

seasonal, and national festivals, as well as cultural ceremonies. 

LITERATURE 

CONTEMPORARY TURKISH LITERATURE 

http://www.turkish-lit.boun.edu.tr/frameset2.asp?CharSet=English 

Inspired by the trend to embrace the electronic media as a venue for literature, this website 

invites you to explore the rich diversity in style and subject matter offered by contemporary 

Turkish literature. The objectives are to help familiarize the non-Turkish speaking realms 

with Turkish literature, and to provide texts for Literature in Translation courses (taught 

throughout the English-speaking world) and Translation Criticism courses (taught within the 

Department of Translation and Interpreting at Bogazici University). 

TURKISH LITERATURE 

http://www.turkishculture.org/pages.php?ChildID=715&ParentID=3&ID=4&ChildID1= 

473&miMore=1#PageContent 

The history of Turkish Literature may be divided into three periods, reflecting the history of 

Turkish civilization as follows: the period up to the adoption of Islam, the Islamic period, 

and the period under Western influence. 

AN OVERVIEW OF TURKISH LITERATURE 

http://www.fbf2008turkey.com/en/Tempdosyalar/69247__TalatBro.pdf 

Poetry, and literature in general, has been the quintessence of Turkish culture until modern 

times and a most faithful mirror of socioeconomic realities in Turkey since the inauguration 

of the Republic. Virtually all of the salient aspects of Turkish life, politics, and culture have 

found direct or indirect expression in poetry, fiction, and drama, as well as in critical and 

scholarly writing. 

ORHAN PAMUK 

http://www.orhanpamuk.net/ 

Orhan Pamuk is a noted novelist born in Istanbul in 1952. He recently won the Nobel Prize 

in Literature. His novel, My Name is Red, has been translated into twenty-four languages and 

won international literature’s most lucrative prize (excluding the Nobel), the IMPAC Dublin 

Award, in 2003. 

ARCHIVE OF TURKISH ORAL NARRATIVE 

http://aton.ttu.edu/ 

This archive contains links to a number of audio files and video files concerning music, 

folklore, narratives, literature, and other themes from the Turkish tradition. 

11

HODJA STORIES 

http://www.cs.biu.ac.il/~schiff/Net/ 

Nasreddin Hodja is a collection of Hodja stories compiled by Alpay Kabacali, beautifully 

illustrated by Fatih M. Durmus, and published by NET. It also contains a historical 

introduction to the stories and a bibliography. The rendition is a simple one, but the essence 

of Hodja humor is nicely captured, especially by the illustrations. 

TURKISH POETRY 

http://www.cs.rpi.edu/~sibel/poetry/ 

This site collects Turkish poetry from a variety of sources and contains poems in both 

English and Turkish. It is organized by poet and by year, and contains links to the largest 

collection of Turkish poetry on the Internet. 

OTTOMAN LYRIC POETRY 

http://www.cmes.arizona.edu/outreach/Danita%20Dodson.pdf 

This unit exposes students to a necessary yet little-known body of literature, and involves 

them in the examination of selected aspects of Turkish culture and history. Much of what we 

most often identify as “Islamic” or “Middle Eastern” (in terms of music, food, architecture, 

dress, art, etc.) is a product of the Ottoman synthesis of a vast array of multicultural 

elements that coexisted under the canopy of Ottoman rule. Accounting for the fact that 

students have varied learning styles, and that literary imagery is multi-sensory, this unit is 

interdisciplinary, integrating Ottoman literature with art, music, and history. (Grade Levels 7- 

12) 

TURKISH POETRY IN TRANSLATION 

http://www.cs.rpi.edu/~sibel/poetry/translation.html 

This website has many links to collections of poetry, as well as biographies and works of 

famous Turkish poets. 

THE TURKISH MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND TOURISM: POETRY 

http://www.kultur.gov.tr/EN/BelgeGoster.aspx?17A16AE30572D313A781CAA92714FC 

E02747D9FFFE7A1226 

This website can be used as a portal to an extensive collection of poetry, categorized by style 

and author. 

FRANKFURT BOOK FAIR: GUEST OF HONOR – TURKEY 

http://www.fbf2008turkey.com/en/Default.aspx?17A16AE30572D3131055CFC3A8A96 

1D4F4D0447C9CDF221E 

Frankfurt Book Fair is the biggest in the world and it draws attention of the publication 

sector and media. Between 1974-1988, special events were held as “Focal Theme.” Guest 

Country organizations started in 1988 with Italy. For the Guest Country, there is a chance 

for presentation in its culture, literature, and tourism. 

12

ARTS 

TIMELINE OF ART HISTORY 

The Timeline of Art History is a chronological, geographical, and thematic exploration of 

the history of art from around the world, as illustrated by the Metropolitan Museum of Art's 

collection. 

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/suly/hd_suly.htm 

(Age of Suleyman “the Magnificent”) 

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/otto1/hd_otto1.htm 

(Art of the Ottomans before 1600) 

LES ARTS TURCS 

http://www.lesartsturcs.org/index.html 

This website aims to be a bridge between cultures, a demonstration that humanity produces 

equally beautiful art in every culture. Included is an online gallery for artists, students, and 

the general public to view the works. 

TRADITIONAL TURKISH PUPPET SHADOW PLAY 

http://www.karagoz.net/english/shadowplay.htm 

Puppet shadow play had an important place in Turkey as well as throughout the larger area 

of the Ottoman Empire. This site looks at the different traditions of puppet shadow play in 

Turkey, including a chance to hear the music, see the main characters, and learn about the 

technique of this art form. 

TURKISH SHADOW THEATER 

http://www.taace.org/activities/turkish_shadow_theater.htm 

This website describes the origins, development, technique, and various parts of the Karagöz 

plays. 

ALL ABOUT TURKEY: KARAGOZ AND HACIVAT, A TURKISH SHADOW 

PLAY 

http://www.allaboutturkey.com/karagoz.htm 

Karagöz & Hacivat is a Turkish shadow play taking its name from its main character Karagöz. 

The origin of the shadow plays is accepted as southeastern part of Asia around Java. 

WIKIPEDIA: KARAGÖZ AND HACIVAT 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karag%C3%B6z_and_Hacivat 

Karagöz (meaning blackeye in Turkish) and Hacivat (also written Hacivad) are the lead 

characters of the traditional Turkish shadow play, popularized during the Ottoman period. 

The central theme of the play is the contrasting interaction between the two main characters. 

MOVIE: WHO KILLED SHADOWS? (2006) 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0485510/ 

This is a story of two legendary men, Karagoz and Hacivat, who lived and died by their 

sense of humor. Bursa, in 1330, was an ancient crowded Roman city at the border of 

Byzantium. The story takes place in an unrecorded period time - the last two months in the 

lives of two legendary Turkish stand-up comedians, Karagöz & Hacivat. 

13

MET MUSEUM: THE GREATER OTTOMAN EMPIRE 

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/grot/hd_grot.htm 

Sixteenth- and seventeenth-century conquests afforded the Ottomans control of many ports, 

as well as exclusive access to the Black Sea, from which even Russian vessels were excluded. 

This led to a great increase in trade among the provinces. As the largest city in western Asia 

or Europe, Istanbul was the natural center of this commerce. 

SAUDI ARAMCO WORLD: OTTOMAN ART 

http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/198704/the.golden.age.of.ottoman.art.htm 

Ottoman art flowered magnificently in the sixteenth century. With unprecedented 

prolificacy, court artists created splendid examples of illuminated and illustrated manuscripts; 

objects fashioned of gold, silver, jade, rock crystal, ivory, and inlaid wood; ceremonial and 

functional arms and armor; brocaded satin and velvet kaftans and furnishings; flat-woven 

and pile rugs; and a variety of ceramic vessels and tiles. 

IZNIK TILES AND POTTERY 

http://www.armory.com/~ssahin/articles/article6.html 

http://www.turkish-tiles.com/ 

http://ceramic-studio.net/ceramic-history/czech-republic/iran_and_turkey/ 

http://www.bazaarturkey.com/what's%20new/turkish-tile.htm 

These websites give a brief history of the town of Iznik and illustrate its tile and pottery 

making traditions. 

EBRU MARBLING 

http://www.desertdance.net/ebru2.htm 

http://www.uoguelph.ca/~agokcen/ebruli/ 

http://www.metacafe.com/tags/marbling/ 

These websites discuss ebru, which came to be known as “Turkish papers.” Many specimens 

in their collections and in the several album amicorum books are visible today in various 

museums. Also, early texts dealing with ebru, such as "Discourse on Decorating Paper in the 

Turkish Manner," published in 1664 by Athanasius Kircher in Rome, helped to disseminate 

the knowledge of this kind of marbling art. There is agreement amongst scholars that the socalled 

Turkish Papers were a colorful influence on the book arts in Europe. 

KILIM AND CARPET WEAVING 

http://www.accd.edu/pac/humaniti/1301_tc/xornelas/Projj.htm 

Carpet weaving is one of the most ancient crafts in Turkey, and for centuries, women have 

played a pivotal role in their creation. This website provides information on the carpet 

weaving process and the role of Turkish women in this ancient art. Photos are included. 

THE TREASURES OF ALA-A-DIN 

http://www.bewilderingstories.com/issue79/treasures.html 

Ornamentation of jewelry, gold, and silver artifacts from the Islamic period is renowned for 

its splendor. Jewelry and other ornaments, particularly rings and amulets, were, in many 

cases, thought to be imbued with magical powers and which could provide protection from 

the “evil eye.” This article gives a brief overview of the history of jewelry in Muslim 

dynasties, and relates it to the story of The Book of the Thousand Nights and One Night. 

14

ISLAMIC ART: EARLY OTTOMAN ART 

http://www.discoverislamicart.org/et_trail.php?id=IAM;TR;1;EN 

The fourteenth and fifteenth centuries in West Anatolia marked the beginning of a new era 

with respect to the art and culture of Turkish communities. It was during this time, 

approximately two hundred years after the conquest of Central Anatolia, that the shores of 

the Aegean and Marmara Seas came under Turkish control. The Emirates and Early 

Ottoman periods are striking from an art history point of view due to their extreme 

colorfulness, as well as their new experiments and influences. 

TURKISH EMBROIDERY 

http://goturkey.turizm.gov.tr/BelgeGoster.aspx?17A16AE30572D313679A66406202CCB0 

ACB43295BFCDF878 

Anatolia is an important cradle of civilization, where many handicrafts were made and then 

introduced to the world. Oya (edging embroidery) is one of the most elegant examples of 

Turkish handicrafts and has been described as "thin lacework” and “decorative silk or thread 

knitted and fringed onto women’s clothes.” 

A REDWORK EMBROIDERY PRIMER 

http://www.prettyimpressivestuff.com/redwork.htm 

The name Redwork is derived from the red cotton thread that was used to create this style 

of embroidery. The cotton processors in Turkey used a special dying process that made it 

colorfast, which was a novelty at the time and explains much of its popularity. Since the 

process came from Turkey, Redwork was also called Turkey Redwork. The introduction of 

red embroidery marked the beginning of an era in which colorful decorative items were no 

longer restricted to clergy members and the wealthy. 

ARABIC CALLIGRAPHY 

http://www.islamicart.com/main/calligraphy/index.html 

Arabic calligraphy is a primary form of art for Islamic visual expression and creativity. 

Throughout the vast geography of the Islamic world, Arabic calligraphy is a symbol 

representing unity, beauty, and power. The aesthetic principles of Arabic calligraphy are a 

reflection of the cultural values of the Muslim world. A thorough investigation into the 

aesthetic differences between Arabic and non-Arabic calligraphy might provide an approach 

for understanding the essential spirit of each culture. 

SAKIP SABANCI MUSEUM 

http://muze.sabanciuniv.edu/english/ 

Sakıp Sabancı Museum is part of Sabancı University, and therefore also functions as an 

educational institution. Museum website gives online coverage of both permanent and 

temporary exhibitions, as well as other museum events. 

15

LANGUAGE 

UCLA LANGUAGE MATERIALS PROJECT: TURKISH 

http://www.lmp.ucla.edu/Profile.aspx?LangID=67&menu=004 

About 56 million people speak Turkish. Most of them live in Turkey where Turkish is the 

official language and 90 percent of the population speak it as a first language. Turkish is also 

the language spoken at home by people who live in the areas that were governed by the 

Ottoman Empire. This website contains information on the history of the Turkish language 

and on its current situation. 

TURKISH LANGUAGE SUPPORT SYSTEM 

http://www.princeton.edu/~turkish/practice/tlepss.html 

This site from Princeton College gives some introductory online Turkish lessons which 

include audio clips. 

ETHNOLOGUE REPORT FOR TURKEY 

http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=TRA 

There are 23 languages spoken in Turkey. This site provides information on each language, 

who speaks it, and where it is spoken. 

TURKIC LANGUAGES 

http://titus.uni-frankfurt.de/didact/karten/turk/turklm.htm 

This website provides a color-coded map of Turkey and its surroundings, highlighting the 

regions where different languages are spoken. 

INTERNATIONALIZATION FOR TURKISH 

http://www.i18nguy.com/unicode/turkish-i18n.html 

Many software and web applications that are already internationalized and successfully 

support many languages often suffer catastrophic failure when they add support for the 

Turkish language. This page explains the difficulty of supporting the Turkish language and 

typical solutions. 

CUISINE 

TURKISH CUISINE 

http://www.allaboutturkey.com/mutfak.htm 

In addition to being the refined product of centuries of experience, Turkish cuisine has a 

very pure quality. The variety and simplicity of the recipes, as well as the quality of the 

ingredients, are guarantees of delicious meals. This site contains information on traditional 

Turkish food, complete with recipes and pictures. 

TURKISH KITCHEN 

http://www.bigglook.com/biggmenueng/tarifler.asp 

This site contains a variety of recipes for Turkish dishes, including soups, chicken, kebabs, 

and desserts. 

16

SECRETS OF THE TURKISH KITCHEN 

http://www.turkishkitchen.org/ 

Secrets of the Turkish Kitchen is a Turkish cook book featuring 111 recipes, and is written in a 

contemporary, straightforward, user-friendly manner. The Secrets of the Turkish Kitchen is more 

than just a conventional Turkish cookbook. It reveals the cultural importance of food in 

Turkey following a journey through the development of Turkey’s rich culinary history. 

WORLDTURKEY: CUISINE 

http://www.worldturkey.com/lang/eng/cuisine.php 

This site contains more information and pictures about common meals found throughout 

Turkey. 

TURKISH COOKBOOK 

http://www.turkishcookbook.com/ 

This blog is frequently updated with new recipes for healthy Ottoman and Turkish recipes. 

It has recipes for every kind of meal, and shows pictures of each dish. 

TURKISH COFFEE 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turkish_coffee 

Turkish coffee, also known as Greek, Arabic, or Armenian coffee, is coffee prepared by 

boiling finely-powdered roast coffee beans in a pot, possibly with sugar, and serving it in a 

cup, where the dregs settle. It is common throughout the Middle East, North Africa, the 

Caucasus, and the Balkans, as well as in their expatriate communities and restaurants 

throughout the world. 

EDUCATION 

TURKISH EDUCATION SYSTEM 

http://www.turkishembassy.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=426&Ite 

mid=430 

This site, from the Embassy of Turkey, explains the organization of the Turkish education 

system. It contains information about the different levels of schooling, about the Ministry of 

National Education, and about special education. 

TURKISH EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM 

http://www.columbia.edu/cu/tsa/tr-info/edu.system.html 

Following the foundation of the Turkish Republic, as in other fields, reforms were 

undertaken in education. Under the law of the unification of education, which was ratified in 

1924, all schools were annexed to the Ministry of Education. The Ministry was charged with 

the task of implementing a contemporary mode of educational training for Turkish citizens 

by opening primary and secondary schools, as well as other institutes, and arranging courses 

within the framework of the educational policies it decided upon. 

17

TURKEY: EDUCATION SECTOR STUDY 

http://www.worldbank.org.tr/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/COUNTRIES/ECAEXT/TURKE 

YEXTN/0,,contentMDK:20848223~pagePK:141137~piPK:141127~theSitePK:361712,00. 

html 

The Education Sector Study seeks to contribute to the current dialogue among researchers, 

policymakers, and other stakeholders regarding the creation of a coherent, sector-wide 

strategy for improving Turkey’s pre-university education system. The study is conveniently 

divided into chapters and includes comments made concerning different aspects of Turkey’s 

educational system. 

NATIONAL EDUCATION AT THE BEGINNING OF 2002 

http://www.meb.gov.tr/Stats/apk2002ing/apage29_48.htm 

The Turkish Education System has democratic, modern, scientific, secular, and 

coeducational characteristics. The purpose of the Turkish Education System is to increase 

the welfare and happiness of Turkish citizens, to support and facilitate economic, social, and 

cultural development in national unity and integration, and to make the Turkish nation a 

constructive, creative, and distinguished partner in modern civilization. 

MINISTRY OF NATIONAL EDUCATION 

http://www.meb.gov.tr/english/indexeng.htm 

This is the official website of the Turkish Ministry of National Education. It contains 

statistics and other information about the educational system in Turkey, from 2001 to 2007. 

THE COUNCIL FOR HIGHER EDUCATION OF THE REPUBLIC OF 

TURKEY 

http://www.yok.gov.tr/english/index_en.htm 

This site contains a collection of documents concerning higher education in Turkey. It also 

relates education in Turkey to educational standards in Europe. 

STRUCTURE OF THE TURKISH EDUCATION SYSTEM 

http://www.disiliskiler.sakarya.edu.tr/master2.pdf 

This flow chart shows how the Turkish education system is organized. 

RELIGION 

INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM REPORT 2006 

http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/irf/2006/71413.htm 

This a study conducted by the U.S. Department of State on the scope of religious freedom in 

Turkey. It talks about the country’s definition of “secularism” and how it has dealt with religious 

minorities. 

PBS FRONTLINE: MUSLIMS 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/muslims/ 

Frontline examines Islam’s worldwide resurgence through the stories of diverse Muslims 

struggling to define the role of Islam in their lives and societies. Included with this 

documentary are several lesson plans, background information, and classroom activities that 

can be used to enhance the viewing experience of Muslims. (Grade Levels 9-12) 

18

ACCESS ISLAM 

http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/accessislam/index.html 

Access Islam is a pioneering new tool designed to support the study of Islam in grades 4-8. 

Comprising over one hundred minutes of digital video from the award-winning PBS series 

Religion and Ethics Newsweekly, the site also contains high quality, multi-media tools; 

downloadable lesson plans; and resources related to Islamic holidays, traditions, and cultures. 

The video segments can be used alone or in conjunction with any of ten lesson plans which 

are aligned to national standards and vetted by an advisory committee of experts in 

education and Islamic cultures. (Grade Levels 4-8) 

ISLAMIC SOCIETY OF NORTH AMERICA (ISNA) 

http://www.isna.net/ 

ISNA is an association of Muslim organizations and individuals that provides a common 

platform for presenting Islam, supporting Muslim communities, developing educational, 

social, and outreach programs and fostering good relations with other religious communities, 

and civic and service organizations. 

ISLAM: A GLOBAL CIVILIZATION 

http://www.sipa.columbia.edu/REGIONAL/mei/HANDOUT14.PDF 

This handout was prepared by The Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington, D.C., and 

provides readers with a general background on the role of scholarship and knowledge in 

Islamic societies. 

GEOMETRY AND ISLAM 

http://askasia.org/teachers/lessons/plan.php?no=65&era=&grade=&geo= 

This is a short student activity that explains why patterns are used in Islamic books, textiles, 

and architecture, as well as how to use a compass and a ruler to create two common 

patterns. Examining the geometric patterns that characterize so much of Islamic art can 

provide students with important insights into the technology, scientific knowledge, and 

religious beliefs of Muslims. (Grade Levels 4-6) 

(RE)EMBRACING DIVERSITY 

http://www.sipa.columbia.edu/REGIONAL/mei/research.shtml#muslims 

The curriculum (Re)embracing Diversity combines a wealth of information about Islam and 

Muslims with interactive classroom activities that foster the critical importance of tolerance 

and respect for ethnic and religious diversity. For the convenience of teachers, the 

curriculum is downloadable either in its entirety or as individual lesson plans, depending on 

students' needs and/or interests. Also, most lessons include one or more handouts, though 

these must be downloaded separately from the instructor's guide. Even though this resource 

was developed with a specific focus on New York City educators, it does contain significant 

information on Islam in general. (Grade Levels 8-12) 

PBS: ISLAM – EMPIRE OF FAITH 

http://www.pbs.org/empires/islam/lesson5.html 

This lesson is based on Video Three of the PBS video series Islam: Empire of Faith. 

Students will have the opportunity to learn about both the Sultan Suleiman (b. 1494 AD) 

and another Renaissance character, and then draw comparisons. Students will also create a 

19

poster depicting these comparisons and what makes each individual worthy of being called a 

“Renaissance Man.” (Grade Levels 6-12) 

THE PASSION OF THE POPE 

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1561120-1,00.html 

This article analyzes Pope Bendict XVI’s 2006 trip to Turkey. It provides an interesting 

background on the history and relationship between Islam and Christianity. 

COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS (CFR): DELICATE PAPAL VISIT TO 

TURKEY (November 27, 2006) 

http://www.cfr.org/publication/12070/delicate_papal_visit_to_turkey.html?breadcrumb= 

%2Fregion%2F358%2Fturkey 

Pope Benedict XVI makes his first visit to a majority Muslim state, Turkey, on November 

28, 2006. The trip’s original aim was to build ties with Christian Orthodox leaders but the 

Pope’s recent comments on faith, reason, and Islam—as well as Turkey’s EU accession—are 

likely to resonate throughout. 

FOUNDATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT FOR SEPHARDIC STUDIES 

AND CULTURE 

http://www.sephardicstudies.org/index.html 

For nearly forty years the Foundation has been dedicated to preserving and promoting the 

complex and centuries-old culture of the Sephardic communities of Turkey, Greece, the 

Balkans, and Europe. U.S. Emigration and the devastation of the Holocaust have combined 

to weaken historic communities which had previously resisted assimilation. 

THE GREEK ORTHODOX PATRIARCHATE 

http://www.ecupatriarchate.org/ecumenical_patriarchate/ 

The Ecumenical Patriarchate is the world’s holiest center of the Orthodox Christian Church. 

It is an institution with a history spanning seventeen centuries, during which time it retained 

its place in Constantinople (present-day Istanbul). It constitutes the center of all the local 

Orthodox Churches by virtue of its primacy in the ministry of pan-Orthodox unity. 

TURKISH ALEVIS TODAY 

http://www.alevibektasi.org/xalevis1.htm 

Almost every single guidebook or encyclopedia describes Turkey as 99 percent Sunni 

Muslim. But the world is slowly learning of the existence of a large group in Turkey called 

Anatolian Alevis (Anatolia is a name for the part of Turkey which lies in Asia). This site 

explains Alevism and the people who practice it. 

THE ALEVIS IN TURKEY 

http://books.google.com/books?vid=ISBN0700716068&id=lFFRzTqLp6AC&dq=Religion 

+in+Turkey 

This is the only volume dedicated to the Alevis available in English and is based on sustained 

fieldwork in Turkey. The Alevis now have an increasingly high profile for those interested in 

the diverse cultures of contemporary Turkey and the role of Islam in the modern world. As a 

heterodox Islamic group, the Alevis have no established doctrine. This book reveals that as 

the Alevi move from rural to urban sites, they grow increasingly secular, and their religious 

life becomes more a guiding moral culture than a religious message to be followed literally. 

20

THE THRESHOLD SOCIETY: SUFISM 

http://www.sufism.org/ 

The Threshold Society, rooted within the traditions of Sufism and inspired by the life and 

work of Mevlâna Jalâluddîn Rumi, is a non-profit educational foundation with the purpose 

of facilitating the experience of Divine Unity, Love, and Truth in the world. They seek to 

apply the essential principles of spiritual development. The Society is affiliated with the 

Mevlevi Order, and offers training programs, seminars, and retreats around the world. 

THE INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SUFISM 

http://www.ias.org/ 

This non-profit organization was established in America in 1983 in order to work towards 

introducing Sufism in all its varied forms to the public. It hopes to make known the 

interrelation between Sufi principles and scientific principles, and to provide a forum for a 

continuing dialogue between the different schools of Sufism. 

MEVLANA 

http://www.mevlana.net/ 

Mevlana who is also known as Rumi, was a philosopher and mystic of Islam, but not a 

Muslim of the orthodox type. His doctrine advocates unlimited tolerance, positive reasoning, 

goodness, charity, and awareness through love. To him, as well as to his disciples, all 

religions are more or less true. Looking with the same eye on Muslim, Jew, and Christian 

alike, his peaceful and tolerant teaching has appealed to people of all sects and creeds. 

ZOROASTRIANISM 

http://www.religion-encyclopedia.com/Z/zoroastrianism.htm 

Zoroastrianism is the religion of the followers of the Iranian prophet, Zoroaster (c.1200 

BCE). Zoroastrian Iran was finally defeated by the expansion of Islam, but for over 1,000 

years Zoroastrianism was the official religion of three major world empires, making it, 

perhaps, the most powerful world religion of the time. 

AVESTA: ZOROASTRIAN ARCHIVES 

http://www.avesta.org/ 

This site provides the complete text of the extant Avesta, the most ancient scriptures of 

Zoroastrianism, as well as many Pahlavi scriptures. It also includes information about the 

Avestan language, and other useful information for students of Zoroastrian religion. 

SURYANILER/SYRIACS RELIGIOUS MUSIC 

http://www.rootsworld.com/reviews/syriacs.shtml 

Syriac apostles brought Christianity to Iraq and further east, to India and China. Today there 

are independent churches in Turkey, Iraq, Iran, India, and Brazil, as well as throughout 

Europe and the U.S.. This site contains links to information and audio clips on this type of 

religious and folk music from Turkey. 

21

WOMEN 

MUSLIM WOMEN’S LEAGUE 

http://www.mwlusa.org/ 

The Muslim Women's League is a non-profit Muslim American organization working to 

implement the values of Islam and thereby reclaim the status of women as free, equal, and 

vital contributors to society. Their main goal is to strengthen the role of Muslim women 

through increased awareness of their rights guaranteed by Islam. 

WOMEN AT WORK: A CROSS-CULTURAL COMPARISON 

http://socialscience.tyler.cc.tx.us/mkho/fulbright/1998/turkey/chidester.htm 

Women in Turkey are struggling for equality, recognition, and fairness in all aspects of life. This 

report is an overview of some of the issues, history, and statistics concerning women in Turkey. 

The issues section reports newsworthy information as well as reports of conversations with 

women in Turkey. The history section highlights women’s history in Turkey. The statistics 

section presents an overview of data collected in areas affecting women’s lives. 

PBS: MUSLIM WOMEN THROUGH TIME 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/mideast/educators/women/lesson2.html 

No country, culture, or group stays the same indefinitely. Consider that it wasn't until 1920 

that women in the United States were allowed to vote. National origin, family background, 

economic levels, and historical context all help to determine the opportunities people have in 

life. Muslim women are subject to these factors as well. In this lesson, students will learn 

how and why the role of women in Islamic cultures has evolved. (Grade Level 9-12) 

PBS: WHAT FACTORS DETERMINE THE CHANGING ROLES OF WOMEN 

IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND ISLAMIC SOCIETIES? 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/mideast/questions/women/index.html 

Some Americans believe that Muslim women are oppressed by their religion, forced to cover 

themselves completely, denied education, and other basic rights. It is true that Muslim 

women, like women all over the world, have struggled against inequality and restrictive 

practices in education, work force participation, and family roles. Many of these oppressive 

practices, however, do not come from Islam itself, but are part of local cultural traditions. 

PBS: WHO WEARS A VEIL? 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/mideast/educators/women/lesson1.html 

Students will define stereotypes and learn how common misperceptions foster visual 

stereotypes about Muslim women. Students will identify famous women and learn about the 

significance of the veil in different cultures. (Grade Levels 9-12) 

WOMEN’S RIGHTS AND STATUS IN TURKEY 

http://www.worldpress.org/Europe/2457.cfm 

While in Turkey, Manuela Paraipan interviewed Yusuf Kanli, editor-in-chief of the Englishlanguage 

Turkish Daily News, and participated in a roundtable discussion with the United 

Nations Development Program on women’s rights and social status in Turkey. 

22

TURKISH WOMEN 

http://www.guide-martine.com/turkishwomen.asp 

During WWI and the War of Independence, Turkish women had to take on new 

responsibilities that forced them to take part in active life. This site gives a brief history of 

how the role of a Turkish woman has changed since the 1900s. 

DIVERSITY 

WHO ARE THE KURDS? 

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/inatl/daily/feb99/kurdprofile.htm 

This site gives an introduction to the situation of the Kurdish people living in and around 

Turkey. 

TURKEY’S KURDS - LET JUSTICE BE DONE (February 8, 2007) 

http://www.economist.com/displayStory.cfm?story_id=8672145 

This is an article printed in The Economist about the first woman lawyer in the province of 

Hakkari to fight for basic human rights for Turkey’s Kurdish population. 

BBC NEWS: LOCAL GUARDS DIVIDE TURKISH KURDS (August 4, 2006) 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5246068.stm 

This article discusses the situation in the hills of southeastern Turkey, where fighting 

between armed Kurdish separatists from the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) and the 

Turkish military has been ongoing. Over the years, at least thirty thousand people are 

thought to have died in the conflict; hundreds of thousands, mainly Kurdish villagers, have 

been forced to abandon their homes. 

TURKMENS 

http://www.turkmens.com/ 

This website contains a collection of links about the history and culture of Turkmens. 

TURKISH NOMADS 

http://eclectic.ss.uci.edu/~drwhite/turks/ 

This site contains photographs and articles about the nomadic population in Turkey. It also 

contains an excerpt from a book focusing on nomadic Turks and long-term field research in 

anthropology. 

GLOBAL AZERBAIJANI NETWORK 

http://www.azeris.com/ 

The Global Azerbaijani Network is one of the oldest and most informative sites about 

Azerbaijan. On this site, one can find news articles and general information on science, 

history, business, music, and culture in Azerbaijan. 

THE BULGARIAN TURKS IN TURKEY 

http://www.omda.bg/imir/studies/nostalgia.html 

This work is the third, collaborative volume of the series The Fate of Muslim Communities in the 

Balkans. The study is devoted to the Bulgarian Turkish immigrants in the Republic of 

Turkey. It is the first endeavor to more thoroughly investigate the transmigration of 

23

hundreds of thousands of people, their individual and collective philosophy, their mentality, 

and their efforts to preserve their identities and personalities in the process of adaptation in a 

different, though proximate, world. 

MESKHETIAN TURKS 

http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/rights/articles/eav032503_pr.shtml 

Meskhetian Turks hail from the region now known as Samtskhe-Javakheti, located in 

southern Georgia. To this day, debate rages as to whether these people are ethnic Georgians 

who adopted Islam, or Turks who were part of the Ottoman Empire’s expansion. 

ETHNIC TURKS FLEE RUSSIA FOR BETTER LIFE IN TUKWILA (March 7, 

2006) 

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/261937_turks07.html 

They arrived from Russia, but they are not Russian. They are ethnic Turks, but they never 

lived in Turkey. Their ancestral home is Meskhetia, now part of the Republic of Georgia. 

Comprehending the circumstances of the Meskhetian Turks, who recently arrived in 

Washington State (and are still coming), requires a crash course in history, politics, and 

geography. 

TURKEY GREEKS 

http://www.photius.com/countries/turkey/society/turkey_society_greeks.html 

In 1995, fewer than 20,000 Greeks still lived in Turkey. They are the remnants of the 

estimated 200,000 Greeks who were permitted under the provisions of the Treaty of 

Lausanne to remain in Turkey following the 1924 population exchange, which involved the 

forcible resettlement of approximately two million Greeks from Anatolia. 

AN OUTPOST OF GREEK CULTURE IN TURKEY 

http://www.eurasianet.org/departments/civilsociety/articles/eav111204.shtml 

Though a Greek-speaking village, Tepekoy is located in Turkey, on an island called 

Gokceada (or Imroz, as it is known in Greek). The mountainous island, located in the 

Aegean Sea near the entrance to the strategic Dardanelles Straits, was given to Turkey as part 

of the 1923 Lausanne Treaty, which determined the country’s modern day borders. The 

treaty also provided for a massive population exchange between Greece and Turkey, with 

close to one million Greeks moving from Turkey and some 500,000 Turks coming from 

Greece. 

ARMENIANS IN TURKEY 

http://www.photius.com/countries/turkey/society/turkey_society_armenians.html 

In 1915 the Ottoman government ordered all Armenians deported from eastern Anatolia. At 

least 600,000 of the Armenians, who numbered up to two million, died during a forced 

march southward during the winter of 1915-16. Armenians believe - and Turks deny - that 

the catastrophe that befell their community was the result of atrocities committed by Turkish 

soldiers following government directives. 

TURKISH JEWS 

http://www.science.co.il/hi/Turkish/ 

This article gives a brief history on Sephardic and Turkish Jews. 

24

JEWISH TURKEY 

http://www.haruth.com/JewsTurkey.html 

This site contains a collection of links about the Jewish community in Turkey and about the 

relationship between Israel and Turkey. 

TURKEY: GIVE ME YOUR TIRED, YOUR POOR 

http://www.danielpipes.org/article/234 

Immigration has left Turkey with a strikingly diverse population. In this century alone, 

substantial numbers of immigrants have come from Bosnia, Albania, Greece, Bulgaria, 

Cyprus, Iraq, Iran, the Russian Empire/Soviet Union, Afghanistan, and China. With only a 

touch of exaggeration, Nur Vergin of Bilkent University points to Turkey as ethnically "a 

microcosm of the Ottoman Empire." 

TARTAR AND CIRCASSIAN IMMIGRANTS 

http://knigite.abv.bg/en/sc/sc_15.html 

At the end of the last Russian War, many thousand Tartar families received permission from 

the Russian Government to leave the Crimea and settle in Turkey. The fields and other 

immovable property of the emigrants, including their houses and herds, were to be paid for 

by the Russians according to their evaluation by a commission specially appointed for this 

purpose. 

CRIMEAN KARAIMS 

http://www.turkiye.net/sota/karaim.html 

Crimean Karaims are people of Turk(ic) descent who have adopted Karaism. This 

movement could be described as a return to the roots or sola scriptura. Although the Karaite 

reformation never became a mass movement, an ethnic mixture of Alans, Cumans, and a 

number of Turkic Kipchak tribes in Crimea and northern steppes of Black Sea, as well as the 

ruling junta of Khazaria (not all the Khazars), converted to Karaism. 

POLITICS 

EMBASSY OF THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY 

http://www.turkishembassy.org/index.php 

This is the official site of the Turkish Embassy in Washington, D.C. It lists recent news 

developments in Turkey, background information on the country, consular and student 

services, travel information, as well as a media center and a kid’s page. 

THE COUNCIL ON FOREIGN RELATIONS 

http://www.cfr.org/index.html 

The Council on Foreign Relations is an independent, nonpartisan membership organization, 

think tank, and publisher dedicated to being a resource for its members, government 

officials, business executives, journalists, educators, and students, civic and religious leaders, 

and other interested citizens in order to help them better understand the world and the 

foreign policy choices facing the United States and other countries. "It is designed to be an 

online resource for everyone in these turbulent times who wants to learn more about the 

complex international issues challenging policy-makers and citizens alike." 

25

PRIME MINISTRY OF TURKEY 

http://www.basbakanlik.gov.tr/sour.ce/index.asp?wss=basbakanlik.gov.tr&wpg=history 

This site contains information about the organization of the Turkish government and the 

duties of the Prime Ministry. 

PARLIAMENT OF TURKEY 

http://www.tbmm.gov.tr/english/english.htm 

This site gives a brief overview of the structure and constitution of the Turkish Parliament. 

TURKEY AND THE IMF 

http://www.imf.org/external/country/TUR/ 

This site contains information and reports provided by the International Monetary Fund 

concerning their projects in Turkey. 

CFR: ISLAMIC POLITICAL POWER IN TURKEY – CHALLENGES FOR 

BRUSSELS AND WASHINGTON (November, 2007) 

http://www.cfr.org/content/publications/attachments/Cook%20article.pdf 

Steven Cook argues that Turkey can play an important role in helping the U.S. achieve its 

interests if the U.S. can accept the differences between the two nations. 

BOSTON GLOBE: CHEERING AN ISLAMIC VICTORY (July 26, 2007) 

http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/oped/articles/2007/07/26/cheeri 

ng_an_islamist_victory/ 

By Steven A. Cook: On Sunday, Turks overwhelmingly voted to return the ruling Islamist 

Justice and Development Party (AKP) to office with 46.6 percent of the vote. Turkey's two 

main secular parties did not even come close to this tally, combining for 34 percent of the 

vote. The stakes in these elections were high, including Turkey's future democratic 

development, how religion will be accommodated in an officially secular state, and the 

prospects for Turkey's place in Europe and the Middle East. 

ECONOMIC POLICY RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF TURKEY (TEPAV) 

http://www.tepav.org.tr/engyeni/index.php 

The Economic Policy Research Foundation of Turkey (TEPAV) is an independent, nongovernmental 

and non-partisan think-tank, established in October 2004. TEPAV intends to 

increase the knowledge content of policy discussions in Turkey. The goal of TEPAV 

research is to remove the gap between academic research and policy implementation. To this 

end, scholarly research conducted at TEPAV will lead to concrete policy proposals. 

ATATURK 

http://www.ataturk.com/component/option,com_frontpage/Itemid,1/ 

As President for 15 years, until his death in 1938, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk introduced a broad 

range of swift and sweeping reforms (political, social, legal, economic, and cultural) virtually 

unparalleled in any other country. This site has information related to Ataturk, the Turkish 

people, Turkey, and issues related to people of Turkish origin. Besides written information, 

one can find video, audio clips, and books about Turkey. 

26

THE SOUTHEASTERN ANATOLIA PROJECT 

http://www.utexas.edu/cola/orgs/hemispheres/content/resources/PDF/geo/GAP_projec 

t_turkey.pdf 

The Southeastern Anatolia Project is a development project created by the government of 

Turkey to build a series of dams and hydroelectric plants along the Tigris and Euphrates 

rivers in the southeastern part of the country. This case study was created to help students 

understand the complexities of large-scale construction and development projects. Such 

projects often inspire an optimistic outlook; students will get a better sense of the many 

different benefits that such projects can have, as well as the ways in which the quality of life 

can be dramatically improved. At the same time, students will come to understand that such 

projects have side effects, both positive and negative, that can extend across geo-political 

boundaries. 

CHILDREN ON THE STREET: DETERMINING THE CAUSES AND 

EFFECTS OF CHILD HOMELESNESS IN TURKEY AND AROUND THE 

WORLD 

http://nytimes.com/learning/teachers/lessons/20000830wednesday.html 

In this lesson, students explore the causes and effects of child homelessness in Turkey and 

around the world and compare the issues surrounding child homelessness in poor and wealthy 

countries. (Grade Levels 6-12) 

CFR: A CONVERSATION WITH ABDULLAH GUL (February 13, 2007) 

http://www.cfr.org/publication/12632/conversation_with_abdullah_gl_rush_transcript_fe 

deral_news_service.html?breadcrumb=%2Fregion%2F358%2Fturkey 

This is a transcript of an interview with Abdullah Gul, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister 

of Foreign Affairs, for the Republic of Turkey. In this interview, Gul discusses the relationship 

between Turkey and Iraq. 

EDITOR’S DEATH SPOTLIGHTS TURKISH NATIONALISM (January 23, 2007) 

http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1581609,00.html 

This article, by Time Magazine, concerns the assassination of Armenian-Turkish journalist 

Hrant Dink by a seventeen-year-old Turkish boy. The article discusses issues of nationalism, 

free speech, and the legacy of the Armenian genocide, which took place during the Ottoman 

Empire and remains a contested issue throughout Turkey. 

TURKEY: EVENTS OF 2006 

http://hrw.org/englishwr2k7/docs/2007/01/11/turkey14845.htm 

This website contains a summary by Human Rights Watch about human rights 

developments in Turkey during 2006. The HRW website also publishes reports on human 

rights issues that are currently being researched in Turkey. 

BBC NEWS: TURKEY AWAITS AKP’S NEXT STEP (July 23, 2007) 


Three months ago, up to a million protesters poured onto the streets of the Turkish capital, 

Ankara, shouting that the secular system was in danger. They claimed the ruling AK Party 

(AKP) had a hidden Islamist agenda. This Sunday, 46.4 percent of the electorate cast their 

votes for the AKP across the country, proving they did not believe in any such danger. 

27

REGIONAL CONFLICTS 

THE ARMENIANS IN THE LATE OTTOMAN PERIOD 

http://www.tbmm.gov.tr/yayinlar/yayin1/armenian.htm 

These articles are printed to conform to a chronological order or relations between the 

Turks and the Armenians. It discusses the history of the conflict, going back to the Ottoman 

Empire, and also analyzes more recent exchanges between the Turks and the Armenians. 

TALL ARMENIAN TALE 

http://www.tallarmeniantale.com/ 

This site attempts to provide another view of the Turkish-Armenian conflict. The creator of 

the site hopes to provide a more impartial view by raising awareness about the lack of 

attention that was given to the number of Turkish deaths that occurred during the conflict. 

ARMENIAN ISSUE 

http://www.armenianreality.com/articles/are_the_armenians_in_turkey_oppressed.htm 

The Armenians of Turkey continue to worship in their own churches and teach in their own 

language in their own schools. The Armenian community in Istanbul has thirty schools, 

seventeen cultural and social organizations, two daily newspapers (Jamanak and Marmara), 

two sports clubs (Shishly and Taksim), as well as numerous health establishments and 

religious foundations set up to support these activities. 

TURKEY AND THE ARMENIANS: GENOCIDE WARS (February 15, 2007) 

http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=8706501 

Turkey’s fraught relationship with America is heading into a new crisis. This may intensify 

anti-American feelings among millions of Turks. It could even hurt America's efforts to 

restore order in Iraq. The latest spat stems from a bill in America's Congress that would 

recognize the mass slaughter of Ottoman Armenians in 1915 as the first genocide of the 

20th century. 

TURKEY AND THE CONFLICT IN NAGORNO KARABAKH 

http://www.pcr.uu.se/publications/cornell_pub/tfopol.pdf 

This article talks about the conflict between Armenia and Azerbaijan over the Nagorno 

Karabakh territory. It outlines Turkey’s view in the conflict, as well as its support for 

Azerbaijan. 

THOU SHALL NOT FORGET HOCALI (February 25, 2007) 

http://www.turkishweekly.net/comments.php?id=2495 

On the night of February 25, 1992, Armenian and Soviet troops attacked the Azeri village of 

Hocalı. The nearly 2,500 inhabitants of this small city attempted to flee the invasion. The 

invaders cut all escape routes for civilians in the city, and on this date the bloodiest day of 

the Azerbaijani-Armenian war in Upper Karabag ended with the brutal massacre of 633 

innocent people. Among the deceased, sixty-three were children, seventy were elderly, and 

106 were women. 

28

CSIS: THE U.S.-TURKISH ALLIANCE AT THE IRANIAN JUNCTION? 

http://www.csis.org/component/option,com_csis_pubs/task,view/id,3081/type,3/ 

This article examines the relationship between Turkey and the U.S., especially in relation to 

rising tensions over the Iranian nuclear program. It provides an interesting analysis of the 

situation by referring to the Iraq War and Turkey’s refusal to allow the U.S. to use its 

territory as a military base. 

CFR: FRICTION IN U.S.-TURKEY RELATIONS OVER IRAQI KURDISTAN 

(August 31, 2006) 

http://www.cfr.org/publication/11378/cook.html 

An expert on political reform in the Arab world, Steven A. Cook says relations between the 

United States and Turkey are strained due to conflicting interests in Iraqi Kurdistan. 

Washington does not want to upset the relative stability in northern Iraq, whereas Turkey 

seeks to remove the threat of Kurdish militants in the region. 

FROM ENMITY TO FRIENDSHIP 

http://members.tripod.com/~dimos/grtr.html#l 

This website is dedicated to establishing peace and cooperation between Greece and Turkey. 

It contains a large collection of links about building a peaceful relationship between these 

two nations. 

CYPRUS AND THE EUROPEAN UNION 

http://www.yale.edu/macmillan/pier/resources/lessons/cyprus.htm 

This is a lesson plan developed by Yale University focusing on the current situation on the 

island of Cyprus. The site contains background information on Cyprus and on the 

European Union, and includes a lesson plan to engage students in this topic. (Grade Levels 

9-12) 

BBC TIMELINE: CYPRUS 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/1021835.stm 

This page provides a chronology of key events in Cyprus since 1914. 

TURKISH REPUBLIC OF NORTHERN CYPRUS 

http://www.trncpresidency.org/ 

This is the official site of the President of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. It 

contains a copy of their constitution, historical information, articles, and recent news 

developments. 

TURKEY & THE EUROPEAN UNION 

REPUBLIC OF TURKEY: MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS 

http://www.mfa.gov.tr/mfa/default.htm 

This site contains information about Turkey’s foreign policy, including its view on specific 

global issues and its role in several international organizations. It also contains recent articles 

concerning Turkey’s foreign relations and background documents, such as the Turkish 

Constitution. 

29

ASSOCIATED PRESS: BUSH SUPPORTS TURKEY’S BID TO JOIN EU (January 

9, 2008) 

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hVlpEWcX_bvmHkBTvXSgMQNJl21wD8U1S2I00 

President Bush gave Turkey's bid to join the European Union a glowing endorsement on 

Tuesday and called the Islamic nation a "constructive bridge" between the West and the 

Muslim world, offering a much-needed boost to U.S.-Turkish relations. 

CSIS: THE TRAIN TO EUROPE STALLS (December 18, 2007) 

http://www.csis.org/component/option,com_csis_pubs/task,view/id,3648/type,3/ 

The European Union (EU) summit of December 14-15, 2006 was preceded by months of 

speculation about the likelihood of what the EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Olli Rehn, 

repeatedly characterized as a possible “train crash,” which could result from EU insistence 

on Turkey’s implementation of the Customs Union provisions it had signed in 2005. 

BBC NEWS: TURKEY GETS BACK ON THE EU TRACK (September 24, 2007) 


Turkey appears to have emerged from its simmering political crisis, with the successful 

installation of a new government and president. As a result, attention is now turning back 

towards Brussels, to see whether Turkey's stalled bid to join the EU club can gain new 

impetus, or whether it will hit fresh obstacles. 

CSIS: AFTER ELECTION VICTORY, ERDOGAN FACES DIFFICULTIES ON 

EUROPEAN TRACK (September 21, 2007) 

http://www.csis.org/media/csis/pubs/tu070921.pdf 

The initiation of accession negotiations with the EU in 2006 helped undermine accusations 

that the JDP was leading Turkey away from the West and was one of the major 

achievements of Prime Minister Erdgodan in his first term in office. Not surprisingly, 

Erdgodan declared immediately after his second electoral triumph that his new government 

would continue to work with determination “to achieve the goal of membership.” 

THE INS AND OUTS (May 15, 2007) 

http://www.economist.com/research/articlesBySubject/displaystory.cfm?subjectid=682266 

&story_id=8808134 

It is sometimes said that the European Union is an economic giant but a political pygmy, 

with no foreign policy to speak of. Certainly foreign and defense policies, above all others, 

remain largely in the hands of national governments; and foreign-policymaking with 27 

countries, every one of them with a veto, is inherently difficult. 

TURKS IN EUROPE: WHY ARE WE AFRAID? (December 18, 2006) 

http://fpc.org.uk/fsblob/597.pdf 

The prospect of Turkey’s entry into the European Union has triggered a remarkable 

outburst of fear and anxiety in some European member states. This article, by the Foreign 

Policy Centre in the United Kingdom, explores some of the issues behind Turkey’s bid to 

join the EU. 

30

EUROPEAN COMMISSION: ENLARGMENT – TURKEY 

http://ec.europa.eu/enlargement/turkey/eu_turkey_relations_en.htm 

A gradual and carefully managed enlargement policy is in the interest of the EU. Future 

enlargements will concern the countries of south-eastern Europe. These countries are at 

various stages on their road towards the EU. Croatia and Turkey are candidate countries. 

IMPRESSIONS OF TURKEY 

http://www.fpa.org/topics_info2414/topics_info_show.htm?doc_id=404326 

This is one man’s reflection on the history of Turkey, its culture, and its bid to join the 

European Union. 

LESSON PLAN: TURKEY 

http://www.fpa.org/info-url4715/infourl_show.htm?doc_id=367219&doc_category_id=1126&attrib_id=12893 

In this lesson, students will come to understand several different issues regarding Turkey and 

the European Union, mainly the issues surrounding the membership of Turkey to the EU. 

They will be taught through discussion, in-class activities, and homework; what is the EU, 

why does Turkey want to join, why does the EU want it as a member? Students will also 

develop opinions on the matter through an in-class activity and a homework assignment, 

both requiring research. (Grade Level 9-12) 

MIDDLE EAST 

PBS: WHAT ROLE HAS NATURAL RESOURCES PLAYED IN THE POLITICS 

AND ECONOMY OF THE MIDDLE EAST? 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/mideast/questions/resource/index.html 

The Middle East has always had a rich abundance of natural resources, though which 

particular resources have been coveted and valued has changed over time. 

PBS: LAND, RESOURCES, AND ECONOMICS 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/mideast/educators/resource/lesson1.html 

In this lesson, students will be able to describe major geographical features of the Middle East 

and explain how these features and other natural resources influence the economy of the area. 

(Grade Level 9-12) 

PBS: FROM ROYALTY TO DEMOCRACY 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/mideast/themes/politics/index.html 

Politics in the Middle East, far from being solely an issue of Islamic resurgence, as is often 

presented by Western media, actually reflects a complex mixture of issues that include 

nationalism, religion, social and economic concerns, anti-colonialist sentiments, tribal loyalties, 

and ethnic identities. This informational article looks in-depth at the different types of 

government currently present in the Middle East. 

ARE YOU LISTENING? VOICES FROM THE MIDDLE EAST 

http://www.outreachworld.org/resource.asp?curriculumid=1014 

This anthology, produced by The Outreach Center, consists of short stories and excerpts from 

memoirs and novels written by indigenous authors and translated and adapted for the U.S. 

31

classroom. The anthology includes stories from Turkey, Israel, Iran, and the Arab world, tested and 

selected for their cultural richness and their appeal to young adults. It includes units for each story, 

extensive background notes, a glossary of Middle Eastern words and phrases, and a comprehensive 

bibliography related to the themes and issues in the stories as further reference for teachers and 

students. (Grade 9-12) 

PBS: STEREOTYPES - MORE THAN MEETS THE EYE 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/mideast/educators/types/lesson1.html 

In this lesson, students will develop a better understanding of the concept of stereotyping. They 

will think critically about images and media that portray the Middle East and its inhabitants, 

make determinations about the impact of the images on their perceptions, and consider ways to 

overcome these stereotypes. (Grade Level 9-12) 

PBS: GOT WATER? 

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/globalconnections/mideast/educators/resource/lesson2.html 

Students will learn that delivering clean, fresh water to citizens around the world involves and 

affects politics, economics, international relations, and technology. The lesson focuses on water 

issues in Turkey, Syria, and Iraq. The ultimate goal is to find a cooperative solution for all three 

countries. (Grade Levels 9-12) 

XPEDITIONS: THE MIDDLE EAST REGION - FLAGS AND FACTS 

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/01/gk2/iraqmap.html 

In this lesson, students will learn basic facts about the Middle East by exploring maps of the 

region. They will use National Geographic's Hot Spot: Iraq website to practice basic map skills by 

reading maps and drawing their own. Finally, they will learn basic information about the 

countries on their maps and label that information on their own maps, comparing what they 

have learned about the geography of the Middle East with the geography of the United States. 

(Grade Levels K-2) 

XPEDITIONS: OIL AND WATER IN THE MIDDLE EAST REGION 

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/xpeditions/lessons/01/g68/iraqoil.html 

In this lesson, students will explore the roles of oil and water in the Middle East. Students will use 

maps to look at the distribution of oil in the Middle East and discuss what it means for the 

different countries in the region. They will also examine how water has influenced the region 

historically (in the "fertile crescent" region between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers) and politically 

(for example, how Iraq's access to water is limited to one small part of its border). Finally, they will 

study specific aspects of Iraq's struggles with water, using satellite imagery to understand and 

illustrate the problem. (Grade Levels 6-8) 

UNDERSTANDING THE MIDDLE EAST THROUGH GEOGRAPHY AND 

DEMOGRAPHY 

http://www.outreachworld.org/resource.asp?curriculumid=285 

This lesson plan uses geography and demography to examine this important area. Students 

learn about the entire region by studying a sub-region in depth through small group, 

cooperative learning. Students are divided into six groups and each is assigned to a specific 

sub-region. They examine geographical and statistical data of their sub-region, apply it to the 

group's "working map," transfer information to a large class map of the entire area, then 

share through collaborative learning. Oil and natural gas resources are examined, but 

32

through case study and map analysis the more critical question of water enhances higherlevel 

thinking skills as well as an appreciation of the differences and complexities within the 

entire area. (Grade Levels 6-12) 

SHIA DEMOCRACY: MYTH OR REALITY 

http://www.worldpress.org/Mideast/2677.cfm 

Whether there are well-delineated differences between Shias and Sunnis in the way they 

conceive of—and construct—political authority has not been given much serious research. 

This is a surprising omission in contrast to the extent to which political scientists have 

debated the impact of the Catholic-Protestant schism on the evolution of capitalism and 

democracy in the Western hemisphere. 

LOCAL/NATIONAL RESOURCES & ORGANIZATIONS 



The Turkish Cultural Foundation aims to promote and preserve Turkish culture and heritage 

worldwide, support education for disadvantaged students in Turkey, support research related 

to Turkey, and help to build cultural bridges between Turkey and other countries. This 

website contains a wealth of information concerning Turkish cuisine, lifestyle, philosophy, 

art, music, military, culture, and more. 

TURKISH-AMERICAN CULTURAL ASSOCIATION WASHINGTON 

(TACAWA) 

http://www.tacawa.org/ 

TACAWA is an active non-profit organization dedicated to guiding and enhancing 

awareness of the Turkish culture, art, and heritage and to sponsoring positive relationships 

between various Turkish and local communities. We do this through cultural, educational, 

and community events and outreach. 

TURKFEST 

http://www.turkfest.org/ 

Turkfest is an annual festival held at the Seattle Center (Seattle, WA) celebrating the Turkish 

culture through music, dance, exhibits, shows, lectures, food, arts, crafts, and films since 

2001. 

ANATOLIAN ARTISANS 

http://www.anatolianartisans.org/ 

Anatolian Artisans is a non-profit organization with a unique mission to provide sustainable 

economic benefits to low-income artisans through product development, marketing, and 

training, and to raise awareness about arts and culture of Turkey by organizing exhibitions, 

festivals, fairs, conferences, and seminars. 

AMERICAN-TURKISH COUNCIL (ATC) 

http://www.americanturkishcouncil.org/ 

The American Turkish Council is dedicated to effectively strengthening U.S.-Turkish 

relations through the promotion of commercial, defense, technology, and cultural relations. 

33

Its diverse membership includes Fortune 500, U.S. and Turkish companies, multinationals, 

nonprofit organizations, and individuals with an interest in U.S.-Turkish relations. Guided by 

member interests, ATC strives to enhance the growing ties between the U.S. and Turkey by 

initiating and facilitating efforts to increase investment and trade between the two countries. 

ASSEMBLY OF TURKISH-AMERICAN ASSOCIATIONS (ATAA) 

http://www.ataa.org/ 

The founding principle of ATAA was the need to create cohesion and cooperation between 

the large numbers of social/cultural Turkish American organizations around the U.S. The 

Assembly's main goal is to be a link between all communities, large or small, and pursue their 

interests in Washington and beyond. 

FEDERATION OF TURKISH-AMERICAN ASSOCIATIONS 

http://www.tadf.org/ 

The Federation of Turkish American Associations, Inc., a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization, 

was established in 1956 for the purpose of uniting and supporting the Turkish community 

within the United States. Originally, it was established as a union of three associations. 

Today, the Federation is an umbrella organization consisting of over forty member 

associations organizations with a majority of these groups located in the Northeast region of 

the United States. 

THE AMERICAN TURKISH SOCIETY 

http://www.americanturkishsociety.org/ 

The American Turkish Society achieves its mission by bringing together leaders in 

government, including Prime Ministers, Ministers of State, and Ambassadors, as well as 

business leaders, journalists, artists, and scholars covering a spectrum of fields. In addition, 

the Society sponsors educational programs such as the Global Educators Program in 

partnership with the American Field Service; other similar programs are currently under 

development. 

TURKISH-AMERICAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY 

http://www.turkishuschamber.org/about_us_en.html 

Founded in New York in 2002, the Turkish-American Chamber of Commerce and Industry 

is a private, not-for-profit membership organization that represents the interests of member 

companies which have established, or are interested in establishing, business and commercial 

relations between the United States and Turkey. 

FRIENDS OF ANATOLIA 

http://www.friendsofanatolia.org/index.htm 

Friends of Anatolia was formed in order to contribute to peace and democracy by 

supporting the Turkish educational system as well as the Turkish nonprofit organizations in 

Turkey and the U.S. They also aim to create a mutual understanding among people of 

different backgrounds by using Anatolian culture and heritage as a unifying tool. 

BRIDGES OF HOPE PROJECT 

http://www.bridgesofhopeproject.org/about_us.htm 

Bridges of Hope Project was started by a group of committed Turkish-Americans who have 

come together to raise awareness and resources for nonprofit organizations that promote 

34

economic and social development in Turkey. Their long-term objective is to become a 

virtual bridge of hope between the Turkish-American community, and other friends in the 

U.S. and Turkey. 

MOONS AND STARS PROJECTS 

http://www.moonandstarsproject.org/ 

The Moon and Stars Project was founded in 2002 in New York. It is a not-for-profit, taxexempt 

organization dedicated to highlighting the changing face of Turkish arts and culture 

and establishing a two-way cultural interaction between the United States and Turkey. 

TURKISH-AMERICAN SCIENTISTS AND SCHOLARS ASSOCIATION (TASSA) 

http://www.tassausa.org/Default.php 

Turkish American Scientists and Scholars Association (TASSA) is an independent, nonprofit 

and non-political organization established in June 2004 in Washington, DC. TASSA's 

vision is to build a sustainable science bridge between the U.S. and Turkey. This bridge 

would facilitate the flow of people (scientists and scholars), knowledge, and technology, and 

help to link science and technology institutions in the two countries. 

MIDDLE EAST STUDIES ASSOCIATION BULLETIN 

http://fp.arizona.edu/mesassoc/Bulletin/welcome.htm 

The MESA Bulletin is the journal of review of the Middle East Studies Association, an 

international organization of researchers, teachers, and scholars in all fields of Middle East 

studies. The Bulletin is published twice a year, in June and December. 

TURKISH DAILY NEWS 

http://www.turkishdailynews.com.tr/ 

NEWS SOURCES 

TURKISH NEWS NETWORK 

http://www.turkishnews.com/NewsNetwork/ 

TURKISH PRESS DAILY NEWS 

http://www.turkishpress.com/ 

CORNUCOPIA: THE MAGAZINE ABOUT TURKEY 

http://www.cornucopia.net/main_page.html 

ANADOLU AGENCY 

http://www.aa.com.tr/index.php?option=com_haber&Itemid=67 

TURKEY POST 

http://www.turkeypost.com/ 

HURRIYET (IN ENGLISH) 

http://www.hurriyet.com.tr/english/ 

USA TURKISH TIMES 

http://www.usaturkishtimes.com/ 

35

TURKUAZ 

http://www.turkuaz.us/ 

TURKSES 

http://www.turkses.com/ 

TURKISH WEEKLY 

http://www.turkishweekly.net/index.php 

FILMS 

INTERNET MOVIE DATABASE: TURKEY 

http://imdb.com/Sections/Countries/Turkey/ 

The Internet Movie Database has a list of 5,068 titles associated with Turkey. 

CROSSING THE BRIDGE 

http://www.crossingthebridge.de/ 

This is the official website from the film Crossing the Bridge: The Sound of Istanbul. 

CROSSING THE BRIDGE TRAILER 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7Emtncpypw 

UZAK 

http://www.festival-cannes.fr/films/fiche_film.php?langue=6002&id_film=4007246 

This site talks about the Turkish film Uzak that won awards at Cannes Film Festival. 

OTHER TITLES OF INTEREST: 

Distant/Uzak 

Vizontele 

The Way/Yol 

Head On/Gegen die Wand 

Kebap Connection 

Robbery Alla Turca/Hirsiz Var! 

In July/Im Juli 

My Father and My Son/Babam Ve Oglum 

A Touch of Spice 

The Turkish Bath: Hamam 

BOOKS 

FICTION: 

Birds Without Wings, Louis de Bernieres 

Istanbul, Orhan Pamuk 

My Name is Red, Orhan Pamuk 

Snow, Orhan Pamuk 

The Flea Palace, Elif Safak 

Dear Shameless Death, Latife Tekin 

Tales from the Expat: Harem, Ashman & Gokmen 

Human Landscapes, Nazim Hikmer 

36

Ottoman Lyric Poetry: An Anthology, W Andrews, M Kalpakli, and Najaat Black 

A Fez of the Heart, Jeremy Seal 

The Garden of Departed Cats, Bilge Karasu 

Osman’s Dream: A History of the Ottoman Empire, Caroline Finkel 

House with Wisteria: the memoirs of Halide Edip 

The Garden of Departed Cats, Aron Aji's translation of Bilge Karasu's 

A Mind at Peace, Erdag Goknar's translation of Ahmet Hamdi Tanpinar 

Osman's Dream, Caroline Finkel 

NON-FICTION: 

The Turks Today, Andrew Mango 

A Peace to End All Peace: The Fall of Ottoman Empire and the Creation of the Modern Middle East, 

David Fromkin 

Crescent and Star, Stephen Kinzer 

Biblical Treasures of Turkey, Anna Edmonds 

The Turks in World History, Carter Findley 

Sons of Conquerers, Hugh Pope 

Osman’s Dream, Caroline Finkel 

Modernity and National Identity in Turkey, Sibel Bozdogan and Resat Kasaba 

Fragments of Culture, Deniz Kandiyoti and Ayse Saktanber 

The Alevis in Turkey: The Emergence of a Secular Islamic Tradition, David Shankland 

The Age of the Beloveds: Love and the Beloved in Early-Modern Ottoman and European Culture and 

Society, Walter Andrews and Mehmet Kalpaki 

Culture Smart!, Charlotte McPherson 

POETRY: 

Seasons of the Word, Hilmi Yavuz 

Human Landscapes, Nazim Hikmet 

TRAVEL: 

Lonely Planet: Turkey 

Knopf Guide: Istanbul 

Turkish Odyssey: A Traveler's Guide to Turkey and Turkish Culture, Serif Yenen's 

Eyewitness Travel Guides: Turkey 

Rick Steves’ Istanbul, Rick Steves, and Lale Surmen Aran and Tankut Aran 

COOKING: 

The Sultan’s Kitchen: A Turkish Cookbook, Ozcan Ozan 

Eat Smart in Turkey: How to Decipher the Menu from the Market Foods 

37


A STUDY UNIT 

BY 

ROBERT HEROLD 

NORTHSTAR JUNIOR HIGH 

2007 Turkey Educator’s Tour 

(Turkish Cultural Foundation & 

The World Affairs Council, Seattle) 

38


In the wake of World War I, the Ottoman Empire, which had once stretched 

throughout much of the Middle East and North Africa, was carved up into various nation 

states and occupied territories. What is today Turkey, was occupied by English and French 

forces, who in turn invited Greece to join them. Ataturk led the successful campaign to oust 

the invaders, end the sultanate, and establish modern Turkey. 

Instead of rejecting Europe, Ataturk saw that power and modernity were centered in 

the West and sought to remake Turkey into a strong Westernized and secular state. The new 

constitution was modeled on that of France and a series of economic and social reforms 

were enacted (including the political equality of women) that drew Turkey closer to Europe. 

Worried about Soviet expansionism, Turkey joined NATO in 1952 and eventually 

allowed American nuclear missiles to be placed on its soil. Since 1949, Turkey has been 

seeking a more substantial integration with Europe, and has participated in numerous 

precursors to the current European Union (such as the Council of Europe, and the Western 

European Union), but full integration has remained elusive to the present day. 

The booming post-WWII economies in Western Europe (especially in Germany) 

had a need for cheap labor, which drew millions from Turkey (particularly from its 

economically hard-pressed countryside). Today there are over three million ethnic Turks 

living in Western European nations – the vast majority of whom live in Germany. Often 

having poor and rural origins, these Turkish families are typically social and religious 

conservatives. (There has also been tremendous migration from the countryside to Turkey’s 

cities, which has brought similar values to Turkey’s urban and national politics, and has 

contributed to the recent success of Turkey’s AK party.) This social and religious 

conservatism, coupled with the prejudice of some Europeans, has caused many Turkish 

émigrés to remain more socially isolated in their European host countries. This, in turn, has 

contributed to a recent European backlash against Muslims and Turks in particular – most 

notably in resistance to Turkey’s latest bid for membership in the EU – especially by the 

Germans and the French. 

In spite of these frustrations, Turkey has become the workshop of Europe. Many 

indigenous industries are producing high quality goods for the European market (e.g., the 

award-winning Turkish company, Arçelik A.S., is the third largest seller of home appliances 

in Europe). Moreover, many European manufacturers, and those from elsewhere in the 

world, have set up joint operating agreements with Turkey for major manufacturing plants – 

examples include Audi, BMW, Ford, and Hundai. 

The current ruling party in Turkey, the Islamist Justice & Development Party (AKP), 

has made a strong commitment towards achieving full EU membership and has been 

39

working towards addressing EU concerns with numerous economic, social, and political 

reforms. Whatever the outcome, Turkey remains a dynamic country, exhibiting strong 

economic growth since 2001, and a reformist agenda that may, should this continue, serve to 

make it a model for democratization and rapprochement with the West for the entire Middle 

East. 

40

ACROSS 

Turkey & the European Union Crossword 

13 

4 

1 2 3 

9 10 

5 6 7 

11 12 

14 15 16 

17 18 

19 

www.CrosswordWeaver.com 

2 The post-WWII economies of Western Europe 

soon had a need for cheap ___________. 

4 Leaders from this country have expressed 

misgivings about offering full EU membership to 

Turkey. 

5 Turkey has attracted foreign manufacturing firms 

and has shared in the profits by establishing a 

series of "joint __________________ agreements." 

9 The EU is an economic and political organization 

attempting to coordinate and unify 

_______________ . 

11 Most Turkish workers in Europe come from 

Turkey's ______________ areas. 

14 More Turks have settled in this country than any 

other 

15 The term for one who resides in a new country 

18 The name for the former Turkish empire 

19 The AK party is committed to Turkey achieving full 

_______________ in the European Union. 

20 Turkish guest workers in Europe tend to be 

religiously and socially ____________________. 

20 

DOWN 

1 They occupied parts of Turkey at the end of World 

War One 

3 The first leader of of modern Turkey 

6 Some Turkish immigrants in Europe have 

experienced _______________ 

7 The military organization Turkey joined to help 

protect itself from the USSR 

8 Turkish immigrants tend to remain _____________ 

within European host countries. 

10 The Council of Europe and the Western European 

Union were precursors to the European 

__________________. 

12 American company with a large production plant in 

Turkey 

13 The current government in Turkey has instituted 

many economic and political ____________ 

16 As part of its commitment to NATO, Turkey allowed 

US __________________ to be placed in its 

country. 

17 The modern Turkish constitution guarantees the 

political equality of ___________ 

8 

41

Crossword Key 

G L A B O R 

F R A N C E T 

E A 

E O P E R A T I N G 

C R U A I 

E U R O P E R T S 

N J K O O 

I R U R A L F L 

R O D O A 

G E R M A N Y I M M I G R A N T 

F C I D E 

W O T T O M A N E S D 

O R S 

MEMBERSH I P I 

E S L 

N C O N S E R V A T I V E 

S 

42

EUROPE’S AMBIVALENCE TOWARD TURKEY 

While Turkey has been a NATO member since 1952 and an exporter to Europe of 

agricultural products and high quality but low cost manufactured goods and cheap labor, 

Turkey has been frustrated in its attempts to gain fuller integration with Europe. Currently, 

Turkey is a candidate for membership in the European Union, and it is the professed goal of 

Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) to achieve full membership. 

Yet, even as Turkey institutes numerous reforms to address Europe’s concerns, there 

has been growing sentiment in Europe against admitting Turkey into the EU, most notably 

expressed by France’s president, Nicolas Sarkozy, and Germany’s chancellor, Angela Merkel. 

This anti-Turkish rhetoric has many facets and is due to domestic concerns as often as it has 

to do with concerns about Turkey. 

Europe’s economic boom times of the 1960s and 70s led to a need for cheap foreign 

labor. Turkish émigrés helped to fill this need, coming to Western Europe (particularly to 

Germany) looking for economic opportunity. Today there are over three million Turks 

living in Europe. However, the economic difficulties of Europe in recent years (including 

high unemployment) has contributed to a growing anti-Turkish sentiment among those in 

competition with the Turkish immigrants (and their sons and daughters) for jobs – especially 

in Germany and France. Contributing to this backlash has been the fact that Turkish 

immigrants have generally not been integrated into their host countries. This is due, in part, 

to prejudice and restrictions placed on these émigrés, but also to a desire by many of the 

immigrants to preserve their culture and religious practices, as well as the more conservative 

mind-set of these immigrants, who have largely come from Turkey’s Anatolian countryside 

and who are uncomfortable with the perceived decadence of Western culture. 

Another issue contributing to opposition to Turkey’s membership in the EU centers 

on questioning whether Turkey is truly a democratic country. There have been four coups 

staged by the Turkish military since 1960. However, these coups, while at times violent, 

have been carried out ostensibly to preserve democracy and a secular state. While staging 

coups to preserve democracy is certainly debatable, it is a fact that after each coup, the 

military has stepped back and allowed a newly-constituted civilian government to rule. 

Moreover, despite making some threats, the military has not prevented (at the time of this 

writing) the Islamist AKP (which won 47 percent of the votes in the national elections in the 

summer of 2007) from dominating the government. While some Turks feel that the AKP is 

an Islamist wolf in sheep’s clothing, seeking to make Turkey into an Islamist state, the 

current situation may show that the military is willing to accede to the will of the people, 

43

even if it means relaxing its secularist prescriptions. 

Another criticism of Turkey is also related to the activist secularism of modern 

Turkey. This criticism is that Turkey does not allow the free practice of religion due to its 

restriction on the wearing of religious head scarves. Hayrunisa Gul, the wife of newly 

elected President Abdullah Gul, wears a religious head scarf, as do the wives of other AKP 

members. The head scarf is currently banned by law from being worn in schools, 

universities, and governmental buildings. In 2002, Hayrunisa Gul filed a complaint with the 

European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) after she had been refused enrollment in Ankara 

University over this issue, but she withdrew the claim when the AKP came to power and her 

husband (who is now president) became Foreign Minister. Now, that Mrs. Gul is occupying 

the presidential palace (a governmental building), and given that the AKP is proposing to 

change the constitution to allow the wearing of scarves in colleges and universities, this issue 

may be moot. An irony associated with this area of criticism is France’s recent ban on 

religious wear in schools. 

The view that Turkey ignores minority rights – specifically, their treatment of the 

Kurds – has been another charge levied by Europe. When the Ottoman Empire was carved 

up by Britain and France after World War One, the Kurds were left without a country of 

their own, their population spread mostly between northern Iraq, eastern Turkey, and 

northwest Iran. Unhappy with this situation, many Kurds have staged revolts, while others 

have remained loyal to their respective countries. In Turkey’s case, in the face of periodic 

unrest, the government has at times imposed restrictive measures. The last twenty years has 

seen an increase in unrest by Kurdish separatists in Turkey, particularly by the PKK 

terrorists, who have staged bombings and hit and run attacks (retreating into Kurdishcontrolled 

northern Iraq), resulting in the deaths of several thousand Turkish national 

soldiers. In spite of these acts of violence, Turkey offered aid to Kurds fleeing Sadam 

Hussein’s Iraq. Moreover, in the last decade Turkey has relaxed restrictions on Kurdish 

cultural expression and there are now a number of Kurdish representatives in Turkey’s 

parliament. Given the provocation of the PKK (which is also labeled as a terrorist 

organization by both the US and the EU), as well as the generosity Turkey showed towards 

Iraqi Kurdish refugees and Turkey’s current tolerance of Kurdish culture, many Turks bristle 

at being criticized by some in the EU for Turkey’s treatment of its ethnic Kurds – especially 

when Spain, a full member of the EU, has issues with its own Basque terrorists. Presently, 

after numerous PKK attacks, Turkey is engaging in military campaigns against the PKK in 

northern Iraq. At the time of this writing, these reprisals have been measured – confined 

mostly to shellings and air attacks – and, as a result, have received the tacit support of the 

United States. 

The treatment of Armenians in Turkey is another lightning rod for anti-Turkish 

sentiment. According to those accusing Turkey of genocide, Turkey butchered two and a 

half million ethnic Armenians during World War One. Although there are numerous books 

and articles that have come out in recent years detailing this atrocity, many Turkish 

nationalists challenge this view and have even established a website 

(www.tallaremeniantale.com) to counter what they perceive as a well-orchestrated Armenian 

lobbying campaign in the U.S. and Western Europe. Their position is that the Armenians 

(encouraged by Russia, France, and England) had been staging revolts against the Ottoman 

Empire, resulting in the death of approximately one hundred thousand Turks. In response, 

the sultan ordered that the one and a half million Armenians (there were not even two and a 

half million Armenians living there) be forced out of Anatolia and moved into other areas of 

the empire. During this forced removal, around one hundred thousand Armenians died – 

44

largely due to disease and malnutrition – all in a time of war. Today many Turks say that it is 

unfair to blame them for these actions, taken during warfare by a government that no longer 

exists. Some also use a legalist defense, stating that genocide was a concept created after 

World War II and should not be levied retroactively. Moreover, it is believed by many Turk 

nationalists that Armenians have successfully monopolized the discussion of this issue in the 

West, with the real objective of getting monetary and territorial compensation from modern 

day Turkey. Recent comments by Turkey’s Nobel Prize winning novelist, Orhan Pamuk, 

indicating that an Armenian genocide did occur, as well as the resulting backlash by Turkish 

nationalists, demonstrates that this remains a contentious issue, both within Turkey and 

beyond its borders. It should be noted with some irony that Germany, despite its troubled 

past, is a full EU member, while Turkey is being criticized and possibly denied membership. 

Cyprus, an island off the Turkish coast, is still another bone of contention between 

Europe and Turkey. The island is occupied by both ethnic Greeks and ethnic Turks and has 

been a former British colony. Cyprus gained its independence from Britain in 1960. In 

1974, after a period of unrest between Cypriot Greeks and Turks, the Greek national 

government (hoping to annex Cyprus) encouraged the Greeks in Cyprus to stage a coup 

d’état. This violence led to the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974 (occupying the northern 

third of the country) and ultimately to the creation an independent Turkish state in the 

north. This Turkish state has, since then, only been recognized by Turkey, while the Greek 

Cypriot state (which did not merge with Greece) remained widely recognized by the 

international community and was admitted to the EU on May 1, 2004. Turkey refuses to 

engage with Greek Cyprus and even refuses to allow planes from there to land at Turkish 

airports. Again, this is a complex situation, with charges and counter-charges, but the end 

result is antipathy between Turkey and members of the EU. 

A final source of anti-Turkish sentiment centers on a perceived Islamization of 

Europe. The terrorist attacks in America on 9-11, radical mosques in Europe, the discovery 

of terrorist cells in many Western European countries, and bombings in Germany, England, 

and Spain have all contributed to this fear. One may add to this litany the largely isolated 

Islamic communities in Western Europe and the competition for scarce jobs (discussed 

earlier), plus the Islamic uproar to such things as Salmund Rushdie (the author of Satanic 

Verses) and the recent series of Dutch political cartoons depicting Muhammad as a terrorist 

(as well as to the murder of one of the editors who published those cartoons). 

While the condemnation of the cartoons was widespread, acts of murder and 

terrorism have been perpetrated only by an extremist minority. Just as it would unfair to 

criticize Germany for the acts of a few neo-Nazis, it seems unfair to characterize all Muslims 

– and Turkey in particular – on the basis of acts committed by a few terrorists. Nevertheless, 

fear of Europe being overrun by Muslims, and fear that they will undermine Western 

Christianity, liberal values, and the whole of Western society are reasons which many are 

using to criticize Turkey and challenge its EU candidacy. 

In the end, it remains to be seen if Turkey will achieve full membership in the 

European Union. As a result of much criticism, many Turks are beginning to question if it is 

a goal worth achieving. Still, other Turks are appreciating the spotlight this process has 

shone on some of Turkey’s shortcomings – particularly its need to modernize its economy 

and make business and government more transparent and accountable – and the fact that in 

attempting to address a number of those concerns, Turkey has begun (particularly under the 

current AKP leadership) to institute numerous reforms. As such, the process of 

consideration for EU membership may be more important than the professed goal. 

45

NAME: _________________________ 

COMPREHENSION CHECK: “EUROPE’S AMBIVALENCE 

TOWARD TURKEY” 

1) What is the AKP’s professed goal regarding the EU? 

_________________________________ 

2) Domestic concerns have helped fuel Western European criticism of 

____________________. 

3) Today there are over _____________ million Turks living in Western Europe. 

4) Turkish émigrés tend to be religiously and socially _________________________ and 

have largely remained isolated in their host countries. 

5) High __________________________ in Western European nations has contributed to 

an anti-Turkish backlash against workers originally invited in. 

6) Since 1960, Turkey’s military has staged four _________________ against the country’s 

government. 

7) One criticism of Turkey centers around the ban on wearing _________________ in 

schools, universities, and certain governmental buildings. 

8) What Western European nation has instituted a similar ban? 

________________________ 

9) A minority group in eastern Turkey that has, until recently, faced years of legal 

restrictions and lack of civil rights: ____________________________________ 

10) A separatist organization that has battled Turkish nationalist forces: 

___________________ 

11) A separatist group in Spain (an EU nation) that has also engaged in acts of terrorism: 

________________ 

12) The ethnic group that has accused Turkey of committing acts of genocide against them 

during World War I: ________________________________ 

13) A website devoted to Turkey’s response to these 

accusations:________________________ 

14) What EU nation was responsible for acts of genocide during World War II? 

_____________________________ 

15) Many Muslims around the world criticized political cartoons published in Europe that 

depicted __________________________ as a terrorist. 

16) A divided island in the Mediterranean occupied by ethnic Greeks and ethnic Turks: 

______________________________ 

17) Germany was one of the countries in Western Europe wherein small groups of 

terrorists, known as ________________________ , planned and coordinated attacks on 

the West. 

18) Those who accuse Turkish and other Islamic émigrés of changing the character of 

Europe, say this process is occurring: 

____________________________________________ 

19) The Turkish group that sees itself as a defender of that nation’s democracy and 

secularism: ___________________________________________ 

20) The two European heads of state who are vocal critics of admitting Turkey into the EU: 

_______________________________________ & 

_____________________________________ 

46

Paragraph Exercise 

On a separate sheet of paper, and using information from the article “Europe’s Ambivalence 

Toward Turkey,” answer each question in your words. (Be sure to check that you answered 

all parts of the question.) 

I) Explain why Turkish immigrants were invited into Western Europe and why some 

Europeans now feel that these guests are no longer welcome. (Address economic, social 

and religious issues.) 

II) Describe the situation with Turkey’s Kurdish population and explain why it is ironic that 

some European nations have criticized Turkey for this. 

III) Discuss both sides of the “Armenian genocide” controversy and explain why it’s ironic 

that some EU nations have criticized Turkey for this. 

47

COMPREHENSION CHECK – ANSWER KEY 

1) What is the AKP’s professed goal regarding the EU? _____FULL 

MEMBERSHIP_________ 

2) Domestic concerns have helped fuel Western European criticism of 

______TURKEY______. 

3) Today there are over _____THREE ____ million Turks living in Western Europe. 

4) Turkish émigrés tend to be religiously and socially _____CONSERVATIVE______ and 

have largely remained isolated in their host countries. 

5) High ___UNEMPLOYMENT_____ in Western European nations has contributed to an 

anti-Turkish backlash against workers originally invited in. 

6) Since 1960, Turkey’s military has staged four _____COUPS_____ against the country’s 

government. 

7) One criticism of Turkey centers around the ban on wearing __HEAD SCARVES__ in 

schools, universities, and certain governmental buildings. 

8) What Western European nation has instituted a similar ban? _______FRANCE_______ 

9) A minority group in eastern Turkey that has, until recently, faced years of legal 

restrictions and lack of civil rights: ____________KURDS______________ 

10) A separatist organization that has battled Turkish nationalist forces: 

_______PKK_______ 

11) A separatist group and minority in Spain (an EU nation) that has also engaged in acts of 

terrorism: _____BASQUES____ 

12) The ethnic group that has accused Turkey of committing acts of genocide against them 

during World War I: ________ARMENIANS_________ 

13) A website devoted to Turkey’s response to these 

accusations:____TALLARMENIANTALE.COM_____ 

14) What EU nation was responsible for acts of genocide during World War II? 

______GERMANY________ 

15) Many Muslims around the world criticized political cartoons published in Europe that 

depicted ____MUHAMMAD______ as a terrorist. 

16) A divided island in the Mediterranean occupied by ethnic Greeks and ethnic Turks: 

_________CYPRUS_____________ 

17) Germany was one of the countries in Western Europe wherein small groups of 

terrorists, known as _______CELLS________ , planned and coordinated attacks on the 

West. 

18) Those who accuse Turkish and other Islamic émigrés of changing the character of 

Europe, say this process is occurring: ________ISLAMIZATION___________ 

19) The Turkish group that sees itself as a defender of that nation’s democracy and 

secularism: ________THE MILITARY______________ 

20) The two European heads of state who are vocal critics of admitting Turkey into the EU: 

______NICOLAS SARKOZY__________ & _________ANGELA 

MERKEL__________ 

48

UNDERSTANDING THE OPTIONS: 

TURKEY’S VIEW OF EU CANDIDACY 

Opinion in Turkey is divided regarding membership in the European Union. 

Currently, only one third of the country supports joining the EU, down from over 70 

percent a few years ago. 

ACTIVITY: 

Views on joining the EU generally fall within one of four categories: 

1. Who needs the EU? (Reflecting resurgent nationalism) 

2. Seek full membership (This is the stated goal of the ruling Justice and 

Development Party (AKP)) 

3. The Process is more important than the goal (This stems from an 

appraisal of the benefits reforms have brought – spurred on by the EU 

candidacy) 

4. Instead of west, looking east & south (These advocates see the 

potential for leading a greater Turkish confederacy across Asia and/or 

casting its lot in with Iran and the Arab world, as well as being a model 

for Islamic democracy) 

The class will be divided into four teams. Each group will be assigned one of these topics to 

research and present to the whole class. Consider visual components (e.g., PowerPoint, 

posters, maps, etc.) to enrich the presentation. 

Each group will complete a 5–10 minute presentation. 

Everyone will complete an option evaluation form following all the presentations. 

49

NAME: _________________ 

TURKEY’S CANDIDACY FOR EUROPEAN UNION MEMBERSHIP: 

UNDERSTANDING THE OPTIONS – EVALUATION FORM 

Instructions: Following the presentations, answer each of these questions: 

1) According to each group, what should Turkey do regarding its EU candidacy? 

OPTION ONE: 

OPTION TWO: 

OPTION THREE: 

OPTION FOUR: 

2) According to each group, what are the most important issues facing Turkey? 

OPTION ONE: 

OPTION TWO: 

OPTION THREE: 

OPTION FOUR: 

3) Pick the option that you would support most strongly and explain why. – OR – Develop 

a new option based on a combination of the best features of the options presented and 

explain why it is the best choice. 

50

CBA Lesson Packet 

THE GOLDEN AGE OF THE OTTOMAN 

EMPIRE: SULEIMAN THE MAGNIFICENT 

January 29, 2008 

Authored By: 

Rebecca Luhrs, World Affairs Council 

CBA TOPIC: Dig Deep - Analyze Artifacts 

LEVEL: Middle School 

This document is intended to assist teachers who are implementing the Dig Deep: 

Analyze Artifacts CBA for middle school students, but may also be useful to anyone 

teaching about world history and geography.

T HE GOLDEN AGE OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE: 

S ULEIMAN THE MAGNIFICENT 

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

WASHINGTON STATE CBA (CLASSROOM-BASED ASSESSMENT): 

DIG DEEP 

NOTE TO TEACHERS 2 

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND FOR TEACHERS 3 

KEY QUESTIONS 3 

ACTIVITY 1: HOW DO WE USE PRIMARY SOURCES TO 

DESCRIBE A TIME PERIOD? 

ACTIVITY 2: GETTING TO KNOW SULEIMAN 5 

ACTIVITY 3: PRIMARY SOURCE FROM AN OBSERVER’S 

PERSPECTIVE - JANISSARIES & MERITOCRACY 

ACTIVITY 4: ISTANBUL - A LIVING PRIMARY SOURCE 9 

ACTIVITY 5: MILITARY CONQUESTS UNDER SULEIMAN 10 

WRITING THE HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION 11 

HANDOUTS 

Handout #1: How Do We Use Primary Sources to 

Describe a Time Period 

Handout #2: Getting to Know Suleiman’s Wife 14 

Handout #3: Primary Source from an Observer’s 

Perspective 

Handout #4: Constantinople/Istanbul - A Living 

Primary Source 

Handout #5: Military Conquests Under Suleiman 18 

RESOURCES 19 

DIG DEEP RUBRIC 24 

3 

2 

4 

7 

13 

15 

17



WASHINGTON STATE CBA (CLASSROOM-BASED ASSESSMENT): 

DIG DEEP 

What does the CBA require students to do? 

1. Select a time period and describe the time period using specific primary sources. 

(Note: students are required to use at least three primary sources.) 

2. Provide an interpretation of why a particular historical event (or related events) 

happened within this time period using specific primary sources. 

3. Explain the relationship between the geography of the time period and both how 

people lived and why events occurred. 

For more information please see the OSPI website under social studies assessments: 

http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/WASL/SocialStudies/default.aspx 

The scoring rubric for this CBA appears at the end of this document and is also available at the 

OSPI website. 

NOTE TO TEACHERS 

The Dig Deep CBA asks students to select and describe a time period using specific primary 

sources. Resources listed here will help students begin to examine the Golden Age of the 

Ottoman Empire under Suleiman the Magnificent (1520-1566). There are many directions that 

students may take when they begin writing their historical interpretation. 

Some suggestions include: 

• Focus on a person other than Suleiman who played an important role during Suleiman’s 

reign: 

o Hurrem, aka Roxelana, member of Suleiman’s harem who became his politically influential 

wife Historical events: Hurrem’s marriage to Suleiman; banishment of Mahidevran 

and Mustafa 

o Pargali Ibrahim Pasha, Suleiman’s first Grand Vizier 

Historical event: his death 

o Sinan, chief Ottoman architect 

Historical event: building of Suleymaniye Mosque 

o Hayreddin Barbarossa, Fleet Admiral of the Ottoman Navy 

Historical events: Peñón in 1531, Battle of Preveza in 1538, and Algiers in 1541 

Geography: Ottoman supremacy in the Mediterranean 

• Draw comparisons between Suleiman and one of his contemporaries, such as Francis I, 

Charles V, Henry VIII, or Akbar the Great. 

• Focus on one aspect of what made Suleiman and his era “magnificent,” such as art, architecture, 

or urban planning. 

• Examine one military conquest or diplomatic relationship. 

Historical events: military conquests in Belgrade, Buda, Rhodes, Mohács, Vienna, or Baghdad; 

treaties with Ferdinand and Charles V 

2



The students’ historical interpretations may take any or a variety of forms, e.g., essay, letter 

from or to a historical character, journal entries, newspaper article. 

HISTORICAL BACKGROUND 

Many American students remember the Ottoman Empire as the “sick man of Europe” prior to 

World War I, rather than as a major player in world politics for over 600 years (1299 to 1922). 

In the 15 th and 16 th centuries, the Ottoman Empire reached its “Golden Age” of political and 

cultural influence. 

In 1520, Suleiman I became the tenth sultan of the Ottoman Empire, inheriting a vast, wealthy, 

and relatively stable territory. Suleiman’s father, Selim, had conquered Egypt and Syria, 

stabilized relations with Iran (Persia), and executed all of Suleiman’s potential rivals. During 

Suleiman’s reign from 1520-66, he continued his father’s legacy by expanding Ottoman 

territory to the “gates of Vienna” and to Baghdad. Muslim artists, craftsmen, intellectuals, and 

writers moved to Constantinople/Istanbul, and Suleiman’s numerous architectural projects 

revitalized the city. 

The Europeans named Suleiman ‘The Magnificent’ in response to the lavish lifestyle of the 

sultan’s court. Suleiman’s own people called him ‘The Lawgiver’ because he codified laws 

governing the organization of government and the military, as well as laws governing the 

taxation and treatment of peasants. 

KEY QUESTIONS 

• What are primary sources and how do they reveal how people lived in a particular era? 

• What social, economic, political, and geographic circumstances allowed Suleiman I to expand 

the geographic, administrative, and cultural reach of the Ottoman Empire? 

• What can we learn about Suleiman’s leadership and personal life from written accounts, art 

and architecture, poetry, and other artifacts? 

3



ACTIVITY 1: HOW DO WE USE PRIMARY SOURCES TO DESCRIBE A 

TIME PERIOD? 

Overview of activity: This initial activity will help students define the term “primary 

source” and the materials that qualify. It will personalize the concept by helping them identify 

primary sources in their own lives. Students will consider the influence of the U.S. in 

the 21 st century, in terms of culture, politics, military, and trade. After they learn about the 

Ottoman Empire in the 16 th century, you may ask students to discuss its global influence 

relative to the U.S. today. 

1. Visit the following websites on defining, finding, and using primary sources: 

• Using Primary Sources on the Web 

http://www.lib.washington.edu/subject/History/RUSA/ 

• Using Primary Sources in the Classroom 

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/learn/lessons/primary.html 

2. Ask the class: 

What is a primary source? 

Combine students’ answers to form one classroom definition. 

What could be considered a primary source? 

Create a list on the board. When students get stumped, add any items they have missed. 

Primary sources: 

• are original records created at the time historical events occurred or well after events 

in the form of memoirs and oral histories. 

• serve as the raw material to interpret the past, and when they are used along with previous 

interpretations by historians, they provide the resources necessary for historical 

research. 

• may include letters, manuscripts, diaries, journals, newspapers, speeches, interviews, 

memoirs, documents produced by government agencies such as Congress or the Office 

of the President, photographs, audio recordings, moving pictures or video recordings, 

research data, and objects or artifacts such as works of art or ancient roads, 

buildings, tools, and weapons. http://www.lib.washington.edu/subject/History/RUSA/ 

3. Pass out Handout 1. Ask students to form small groups and answer the following questions: 

1) Four hundred years from now, students and scholars may wonder what life was like in the 

U.S. during the 21 st century. If you created a time capsule for future students to open, what 

primary sources would you include to help explain the 21 st century? 

2) In the 21 st century, is the U.S. influential in the world in terms of culture, politics, military, 

and trade? How do you know? What primary sources could you use to support your 

answer? 

Continue on your own at home: 

3) Find a small “primary source” in your home that describes how you live. Write a paragraph 

explaining what the item says about your lifestyle. Bring the item to class. 

4



ACTIVITY 2: GETTING TO KNOW SULEIMAN 

Overview of activity: This activity will introduce students to Suleiman as an individual 

and a ruler. Students will watch a reenactment of Suleiman’s life on video to begin visualizing 

the time period. After the video, students will “get to know” Suleiman by learning 

about his poetry and his wife. 

PART 1 

1. In class, show students Video Three from the PBS series “Islam: Empire of Faith.” The entire 

section on Suleiman’s life begins at time cue 19.25 and runs for approximately 25 minutes. Ask 

students to take notes on the people, places, and events they find interesting, and jot down ideas 

for their historical interpretation. 

2. After the video, ask students what they learned and what questions the video raised for them 

about Suleiman and the Ottoman Empire. 

Note: The video is available on DVD or VHS from several Seattle and King County Public Library 

branches. If the video is unavailable, ask students to briefly research the Ottoman Empire and the reign 

of Suleiman the Magnificent (1520-66) in class or at home. They may want to begin with the following 

sites: 

• BBC: Religion & Ethics—Islam (Ottoman Empire) 


• The Ottomans 

http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/OTTOMAN/SULEYMAN.HTM 

• Ottoman Website: Kanuni Sultan Suleyman 

http://www.osmanli700.gen.tr/english/sultans/10index.html 

PART 2 

Option 1 

Walk students through PBS’s Renaissance Man Comparison Poster curriculum, designed for 

grades 6-12, which asks them to compare Suleiman to a famous western European Renaissance 

man: http://www.pbs.org/empires/islam/lesson5.html 

Option 2 (Poetry, Historical Events): 

1. Have students read an excerpt from Suleiman’s poem and answer questions about his wife 

Hurrem (aka Roxelana) by using the activity found at 

http://www.womeninworldhistory.com/sample-10.html. 

Note: For a more extensive lesson on Ottoman poetry, download the Ottoman Lyric Poetry curriculum 

by Tennessee high school teacher, Danita Dodson: 

http://www.cmes.arizona.edu/outreach/Danita%20Dodson.pdf. 

Page 17 contains Suleiman’s poem entitled “My Very Own Queen” and page 8 contains instructor’s 

notes on the poem). 

2. Pass out Handout 2 on Getting to Know Suleiman’s Wife. Have students work in pairs or 

small groups to answer the questions. 

5



1) What can you learn about Roxelana from these two images? Point to specific items in the 

images. (Students may want to point out her skin color, facial features, and ethnicity; her 

clothing, jewelry, and headdress; the writing in the background; the elaborate wood and tile 

work and doors in her tomb) 

2) Where was Roxelana born and how did she become part of Suleiman’s harem? (Ukraine. 

She was captured by Crimean Tatars and sold in the slave trade. In Istanbul, she was 

chosen for Suleiman’s harem.) 

3) Roxelana had many different names and nicknames. List four of them here. 

Name at birth: Aleksandra (or Anastasia) Lisovska 

Name in Europe: Roxelana 

Name in Istanbul: Rossa 

Nickname in Turkish: Hürrem (or Khourrem or Karima), “The Laughing One” 

4) Who was Roxelana’s primary competition in Suleiman’s harem? What happened to her? 

(Mahidevran, aka Gulfem or “Gul Bahar,” the senior woman in Suleiman’s harem before 

Roxelana. She and her son, Mustafa, were banished in 1534. Years later, Mustafa was 

strangled.) 

5) Who was Roxelana’s primary critic in Suleiman’s court? What happened to him? (Grand 

Vizier Ibrahim Pasha. He was assassinated in 1536.) 

6) To what position(s) did Roxelana rise in Suleiman’s court? (Chief consort in the harem, as 

well as chief minister to the sultan.) 

7) Why was Roxelana’s marriage to Suleiman an important event? (Suleiman’s marriage to 

Roxelana was momentous in Europe and in the Ottoman Empire. Historically, Ottoman 

sultans had relations with numerous women, but never married. This meant that the 

sultan’s firstborn son was not guaranteed the empire, which led to disputes and to the 

execution of rivals. When Roxelana married Suleiman, her son Selim became heir apparent 

to the Ottoman throne. In this case, the previous front-runner, Mustafa, had already been 

banished). 

6



ACTIVITY 3: PRIMARY SOURCE FROM AN OBSERVER’S 

Overview of activity: This activity will allow students to closely examine a written primary 

source from an outsider’s perspective. The excerpts focus on the Ottoman infantry, treatment 

of religious minorities, and Suleiman’s practice of meritocracy. You may ask students 

to work in pairs to answer the questions in class, and complete the “going further” activities 

at home. 

PERSPECTIVE - JANISSARIES & MERITOCRACY 

Pass out Handout 3 with excerpts from The Turkish Letters (1555-1562) by Ogier Ghiselin de 

Busbecq, ambassador of the Holy Roman Emperor. 

Source: http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1555busbecq.html 

Note: The Turkish Letters would be an excellent primary source for other topics as well. Busbecq wrote 

about politics, religion, history, geography, technology, military, daily life, medicine, social classes, ethnic 

groups, women, slavery, art and architecture, and flora and fauna. 

Have students work in pairs to read and comprehend the excerpts and answer the questions. 

On Janissaries: 

“At Buda I made my first acquaintance with the Janissaries; this is the name by which 

the Turks call the infantry of the royal guard. The Turkish state has 12,000 of these 

troops when the corps is at its full strength. They are scattered through every part of the 

empire, either to garrison the forts against the enemy, or to protect the Christians and 

Jews from the violence of the mob. There is no district with any considerable amount of 

population, no borough or city, which has not a detachment of Janissaries to protect the 

Christians, Jews, and other helpless people from outrage and wrong. 

A garrison of Janissaries is always stationed in the citadel of Buda. The dress of these 

men consists of a robe reaching down to the ankles, while, to cover their heads, they 

employ a cowl which, by their account, was originally a cloak sleeve, part of which contains 

the head, while the remainder hangs down and flaps against the neck. On their 

forehead is placed a silver gilt cone of considerable height, studded with stones of no 

great value.” 

Discuss as a class. 

Questions 

1) Underline any words or phrases you do not understand. 

2) Where is Buda? (Budapest, Hungary) 

3) What are Janissaries, based on what you can learn in the letter? 

4) Sketch a picture of a Janissary, based on Busbecq’s description. When you are done, search 

the internet for images of Janissaries from the 16 th century. 

5) Would you want to live in this place? Why or why not? 

6) Is this a dangerous or orderly place? How do you know? 

Going further… 

7



7) How were Janissaries recruited? What role did they play in the Ottoman Empire? 

(Janissaries were recruited from non-Muslim, usually Christian, Balkan boys taken from 

their villages, converted to Islam, and trained as soldiers. Janissary troops participated in all 

major military campaigns. Upon reaching adulthood, the best Janissaries served in the 

Sultan’s palace, and some even rose to the position of Grand Vizier.) 

8) Why did they “protect the Christians and Jews?” What is the millet system? (The millet 

system is linked to Islamic rules on the treatment of non-Muslim minorities. Under the 

On meritocracy: 

“In making his appointments the Sultan pays no regard to any pretensions on the score 

of wealth or rank, nor does he take into consideration recommendations or popularity. 

He considers each case on its own merits, and examines carefully into the character, ability, 

and disposition of the man whose promotion is in question. It is by merit that men 

rise in the service, a system which ensures that posts should only be assigned to the 

competent. Each man in Turkey carries in his own hand his ancestry and his position in 

life, which he may make or mar as he will. Those who receive the highest offices from 

the Sultan are for the most part the sons of shepherds or herdsmen, and so far from being 

ashamed of their parentage, they actually glory in it…. Among the Turks, therefore, 

honours, high posts, and judgeships are the rewards of great ability and good service. If a 

man be dishonest, or lazy, or careless, he remains at the bottom of the ladder, an object 

of contempt; for such qualities there are no honours in Turkey!” 

Ottoman government, religious minority groups had separate courts governing personal 

law, collected their own taxes, and enjoyed a degree of self-rule). 

Questions 

9) Underline any words or phrases you do not understand 

10) Based on the letter, define meritocracy. Consult a dictionary to check your answer. 

11) According to Busbecq, what criteria did Sultan Suleiman use (and not use) when 

promoting men to higher positions? 

12) Does Busbecq seem impressed or unimpressed by Suleiman’s method of making 

appointments? What might you infer about the Holy Roman Empire by comparison? 

12) Who was Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq? To whom was he writing? Do you believe his 

account is reliable? Why or why not? (He was the illegitimate son of a seigneur in western 

Flanders; he received a “patent of legitimacy” from Emperor Charles V in 1540. He was a 

highly educated, multilingual writer and herbalist. At age 32, he became a diplomat for the 

Holy Roman Empire. He was writing to his friend, and fellow Hungarian diplomat, 

Nicholas Michault) 

Going further... 

14) Do you think there is meritocracy in the U.S. today? Why or why not? 

15) Identify one important person who began as Suleiman’s slave and write a paragraph 

describing how he or she moved “up the ladder” in Suleiman’s court. (Ibrahim Pasha and 

Hurrem are good examples) 

8



Overview of activity: This activity will help students visualize Constantinople/Istanbul 

during Suleiman’s reign by exploring important architectural and geographic sites. Students 

will use photos of existing structures as primary sources to learn more about life in Constantinople/Istanbul. 

Placing items on the map of Constantinople will increase students’ 

knowledge of Constantinople/Istanbul geography. 

ACTIVITY 4: CONSTANTINOPLE/ISTANBUL - A LIVING PRIMARY 

SOURCE 

Pass out Handout 4 on Constantinople/Istanbul: A Living Primary Source 

Using the web resources on Istanbul and Ottoman art listed below, along with general web 

searching, send students on “a scavenger hunt” around Constantinople/Istanbul. Students may 

identify each item’s location on the map of Constantinople and/or create a photo album with 

captions. You might also ask students to research Istanbul’s various names throughout history. 

Answers to scavenger hunt: 

1) This residence contains four courtyards, a section for the harem, and numerous small 

buildings. Suleiman and other sultans called it home. (Topkapi Palace) 

2) Designed by Sinan, this mosque is as magnificent as its namesake. (Suleymaniye Mosque) 

3) Constructed between 1455 and 1461 by the order of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, it was 

vastly enlarged during Sultan Suleiman’s reign. Now it includes 58 streets and 4,000 shops. 

(The Covered (Grand) Bazaar) 

4) This hamam was commissioned by Roxelana and constructed by Sinan. It is near the famous 

Hagia Sophia mosque. (Haseki Hürrem complex) 

5) This building used to house Suleiman’s Grand Vizier of 13 years; now it houses Turkish 

and Islamic art. (Ibrahim Pasha mosque) 

6) This strait forms the boundary between Europe and Asia. (Bosporus River) 

7) Designed by Sinan, this octagonal mosque was built for Suleiman’s son-in-law and Grand 

Vizier. (Rustem Pasha mosque) 

9



Overview of activity: In this activity, students will learn the chronology and geography of 

Ottoman conquests. They will gain an understanding of the Ottoman Empire’s vastness 

and learn about present-day borders. Students will focus on one historical event (a battle) 

that might later be the basis for their historical interpretation. 

ACTIVITY 5: MILITARY CONQUESTS UNDER SULEIMAN 

Pass out Handout 5 on Military Conquests under Suleiman. 

Note: It will be difficult for students to distinguish the map’s colors when printed in black and white. 

You may want to print this handout in color or project the map. The map was scanned by the 

University of Texas Libraries and is in the public domain. No permissions are needed to copy it. You 

may download it and use it as you wish: 

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/shepherd/ottoman_empire_1481-1683.jpg 

Ask students to work in pairs or independently to answer the following questions: 

1) Using a marker, draw a line around Ottoman territory during Suleiman’s reign (1520-1566). 

2) During Suleiman’s reign, how many present-day countries were partly or fully included in the 

Ottoman Empire? List them below. 

(Thirty-four: Albania, Algeria, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, 

Bulgaria, Egypt, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Iraq, Iran, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, 

Libya, Republic of Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Oman, Palestinian 

territories, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Republic of Somaliland, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, 

Turkey, Ukraine, Yemen) 

3) On the map above, mark at least five sites of major battles led by Suleiman or another 

Ottoman officer. 

(Some major battles are Belgrade, Buda, Rhodes, Mohács, Vienna, Baghdad, Preveza in 

Greece, Algiers) 

4) Choose one battle that you find interesting. Write a brief explanation of why the Ottoman 

army was successful in that battle. If possible, use primary sources to support your writing. 

10



WRITING THE HISTORICAL INTERPRETATION 

Brainstorming: 

Now it is time for students to sift through what they have learned about life, significant events, 

and geography in the era of Suleiman the Magnificent. They need to choose one topic that will 

enable them to describe the time period using at least three specific primary sources, provide an 

interpretation of why a particular historical event (or related events) happened, and explain the 

relationship between the geography of the time period and both how people lived and why 

events occurred. By now, students should have an idea of what they would like to choose. 

Have students consider the most effective way to compile their research, including at least three 

primary sources. 

Independent Research & Analysis 

Here you may incorporate whichever research methods your school/district teaches (Big Six, 

QUEST, etc.). Your school librarian may be able to support you and your students in this 

section. 

• Students who choose similar topics could work in small groups to develop an annotated 

bibliography of articles, websites, and photos related to their topics. Students may want to 

use some of the resources in this packet. For additional resources, encourage your students 

to visit the World Affairs Council website: Select “Turkish Culture and Society: Where East 

Meets West” from “Links to Descriptions: New in 2007-2008” and follow the first link to 

access the PDF document. 

• If students are independently finding their own resources, remind them to consider the 

reliability of the sources they are consulting. Review criteria for evaluating websites. The 

following site from Valparaiso University provides a helpful list of criteria (note particularly 

the section on “purpose/point of view”) as well as links to more information on analyzing 

websites. http://www.valpo.edu/library/user/evaluation.html#criteria 

• In the middle of the research process, allow some time for groups to share some of their 

best resources with other groups, to ensure that every group will be successful in finding 

relevant documents. 

• Students work independently or in their groups to analyze the information they have found. 

Some students may discover that they lack information for one piece or another. You 

might allow more time in class for research or ask students to do this for homework. 

Culmination 

Students should begin their individual writing work. The historical interpretation may take any 

or a variety of forms, e.g., essay, letter from or to a historical character, journal entries, 

newspaper article. As they write, students should refer to the Rubric below and to the Student 

Checklist in OSPI’s Dig Deep Training and Implementation Booklet, found at 

http://www.k12.wa.us/assessment/WASL/SocialStudies/default.aspx. 

Note: The Writing section of the Student Checklist is also listed on the following page. 

11



Student Checklist: Writing 

I wrote a draft of my historical account. 

� I developed an historical interpretation of why an historical event(s) occurred. 

� I supported my arguments with evidence from at least three artifacts and primary 

sources. 

� I made connections between the artifacts and primary sources and the event or time 

period. 

� I described how people lived based on what I learned from the artifacts and sources. 

� I described what caused particular events or characteristics of the time period using 

what I learned from the artifacts and sources. 

� I made connections between the map, the event, or time period, and how people lived. 

� I presented a conclusion with references to the meaning and placement of the artifacts 

and primary sources within the historical context. 

� I cited sources using APA or MLA style. 

� I used appropriate voice, word choice, and ideas. 

� I used my own words. 

� I made clear transitions between ideas. 

� I used language and formats appropriate to the purpose and audience. 

I revised and edited my work. 

12



HANDOUT #1 

How Do We Use Primary Sources to Describe a Time 

Period? 

In your small group, answer the following questions: 

1) Four hundred years from now, students and scholars may wonder what life was like in the 

U.S. during the 21 st century. If you created a time capsule for future students to open, what 

primary sources would you include to help explain the 21 st century? 

2) In the 21 st century, is the U.S. influential in the world in terms of culture, politics, military, 

and trade? How do you know? What primary sources could you use to support your 

answer? 

Continue on your own at home: 

3) Find a small “primary source” in your home that describes how you live. Write a paragraph 

explaining what the item says about your lifestyle. Bring the item to class. 

13



HANDOUT #2 

Getting to Know Suleiman’s Wife 

Rossa Solymanni uxor, unknown artist (public domain) 

1) What can you learn about Roxelana from these two images? Point to specific items in the 

images. 

2) Where was Roxelana born and how did she become part of Suleiman’s harem? 

3) Roxelana had many different names and nicknames. List four of them here. 

Name at birth: ______________________________ 

Name in Europe: ______________________________ 

Name in Istanbul: ______________________________ 

Nickname in Turkish: ______________________________ 

4) Who was Roxelana’s primary competition in Suleiman’s harem? What happened to her? 

5) Who was Roxelana’s primary critic in Suleiman’s court? What happened to him? 

6) To what position(s) did Roxelana rise in Suleiman’s court? 

7) Why was Roxelana’s marriage to Suleiman an important event? 

14 

Portrait of Roxelana (left) 

Roxelana’s tomb in Istanbul (below) 

Source: Wikimedia Commons 

La türbe (cappella funeraria) di Roxellana nel cimitero della 

Moschea di Solimano il Magnifico ad Istanbul. Photo by: 

Giovanni Dall'Orto, 5-26-2006. Creative Commons license: 

http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/



HANDOUT #3 

Primary Source from an Observer’s Perspective 

The Turkish Letters (1555-1562) by Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, ambassador of the Holy Roman 

Emperor. (http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1555busbecq.html) 

On Janissaries: 

“At Buda I made my first acquaintance with the Janissaries; this is the name by which the Turks call the infantry of 

the royal guard. The Turkish state has 12,000 of these troops when the corps is at its full strength. They are 

scattered through every part of the empire, either to garrison the forts against the enemy, or to protect the Christians 

and Jews from the violence of the mob. There is no district with any considerable amount of population, no borough or 

city, which has not a detachment of Janissaries to protect the Christians, Jews, and other helpless people from outrage 

and wrong. 

A garrison of Janissaries is always stationed in the citadel of Buda. The dress of these men consists of a robe reaching 

down to the ankles, while, to cover their heads, they employ a cowl which, by their account, was originally a cloak 

sleeve, part of which contains the head, while the remainder hangs down and flaps against the neck. On their forehead 

is placed a silver gilt cone of considerable height, studded with stones of no great value.” 

Questions 


2) Where is Buda? 

3) What are Janissaries, based on what you can learn in the letter? 

4) Sketch a picture of a Janissary, based on Busbecq’s description. When you are done, search 

the internet for images of Janissaries from the 16 th century. 

5) Would you want to live in this place? Why or why not? 

6) Is this a dangerous or orderly place? How do you know? 


7) How were Janissaries recruited? What role did they play in the Ottoman Empire? 

8) Why did they “protect the Christians and Jews?” What is the millet system? 

15



On meritocracy: 

“In making his appointments the Sultan pays no regard to any pretensions on the score of wealth or rank, nor does 

he take into consideration recommendations or popularity, he considers each case on its own merits, and examines 

carefully into the character, ability, and disposition of the man whose promotion is in question. It is by merit that men 

rise in the service, a system which ensures that posts should only be assigned to the competent. Each man in Turkey 

carries in his own hand his ancestry and his position in life, which he may make or mar as he will. Those who receive 

the highest offices from the Sultan are for the most part the sons of shepherds or herdsmen, and so far from being 

ashamed of their parentage, they actually glory in it…. Among the Turks, therefore, honours, high posts, and 

judgeships are the rewards of great ability and good service. If a man be dishonest, or lazy, or careless, he remains at 

the bottom of the ladder, an object of contempt; for such qualities there are no honours in Turkey!” 

Questions 


10) Based on the letter, define meritocracy. Consult a dictionary to check your answer. 

11) According to Busbecq, what criteria did Sultan Suleiman use (and not use) when 

promoting men to higher positions? 

12) Does Busbecq seem impressed or unimpressed by Suleiman’s method of making 

appointments? What might you infer about the Holy Roman Empire by comparison? 

13) Who was Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq? To whom was he writing? Do you believe his 

account is reliable? Why or why not? 


14) Do you think there is meritocracy in the U.S. today? Why or why not? 

15) Identify one important person who began as Suleiman’s slave and write a paragraph 

describing how he or she moved “up the ladder” in Suleiman’s court. 

16



HANDOUT # 4 

Constantinople/Istanbul - A Living Primary Source 

Source: Internet Medieval Sourcebook, Map of Constantinople, adapted from Muir's Historical Atlas, 1911. 

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/maps/cople-col.jpg. 

Go on a web scavenger hunt around Constantinople/Istanbul! 

• Draw a number on the map to indicate where each item is located. 

• Create a photo album using images from the web. 

1) This residence contains four courtyards, a section for the harem, and numerous small 

buildings. Suleiman and other sultans called it home. _____________________________ 

2) Designed by Sinan, this mosque is as magnificent as its namesake. ___________________ 

3) Constructed between 1455 and 1461 by the order of Sultan Mehmed the Conqueror, it was 

vastly enlarged during Sultan Suleiman’s reign. Now it includes over 58 streets and 4,000 

shops. ___________________________________ 

4) This hamam was commissioned by Roxelana and constructed by Sinan. It is near the famous 

Hagia Sophia. _____________________________ 

5) This building used to house Suleiman Grand Vizier of 13 years; now it houses Turkish and 

Islamic art. ________________________________ 

6) This strait forms the boundary between Europe and Asia. _________________________ 

7) Designed by Sinan, this octagonal mosque was built for Suleiman’s son-in-law and Grand 

Vizier. ___________________________________ 

17



HANDOUT #5 

Military Conquests Under Suleiman 

Source: Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection, University of Texas at Austin, from The Historical Atlas by William R. Shepherd, 1923. 

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/historical/shepherd/ottoman_empire_1481-1683.jpg (public domain) 

1) Using a marker, draw a line around Ottoman territory during Suleiman’s reign (1520-1566). 

2) During Suleiman’s reign, how many present-day countries were partly or fully included in 

the Ottoman Empire? List them below. 

3) On the map above, mark at least five sites of major battles led by Suleiman or another 

Ottoman officer. 

4) Choose one battle that you find interesting. Write a brief explanation of why the Ottoman 

army was successful in that battle. If possible, use primary sources to support your writing. 

18



RESOURCES 

Note: some descriptions were excerpted directly from the organizations’ website. 

Indicates resources referenced in the CBA Lesson Packet 

USING PRIMARY SOURCES 

USING PRIMARY SOURCES ON THE WEB (UW Library) 

http://www.lib.washington.edu/subject/History/RUSA/ 

USING PRIMARY SOURCES IN THE CLASSROOM (Library of Congress) 

http://lcweb2.loc.gov/learn/lessons/primary.html 

TEACHER GUIDES & LESSON PLANS 

TEACHING OTTOMAN HISTORY: A PRIMER 

http://cmes.hmdc.harvard.edu/files/Teaching_Ottoman_History.pdf 

This resource introduces brief background information and resources on the often-misunderstood 

Ottoman Empire as well as a few innovative curriculum possibilities. 

WHO ARE THE TURKS? 

http://www.globaled.org/WhoAreTheTurksebook.pdf 

This educator’s guide to Turkey was published by the American Forum for Global Education in 

partnership with several Turkish organizations. It is extremely comprehensive and split into two 

parts: one covering history, society, and politics, and the other covering literature and art. Each unit 

consists of lesson plans, handouts, maps, and pictures. (Note: this is a 284-page PDF document). 

PBS ISLAM: EMPIRE OF FAITH: RENAISSANCE MAN 

http://www.pbs.org/empires/islam/lesson5.html 

This lesson plan asks students to create a poster comparing Sultan Suleiman with another 

“Renaissance Man” (such as Suleiman’s contemporary Leonardo da Vinci) and share their posters 

with their classmates. (Designed for grades 6-12) 

THE WORLD IN THE 15 th CENTURY 

Growth of the Ottoman Empire: 

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/Socialstd/MWH/11013_2.html 

Suleiman the Magnificent, Suleiman the Lawgiver, Suleiman the Man: 

http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/curriculum/Socialstd/MWH/11013_3.html 

These two activities are part of “Modern World History A, Unit I - The World in the Fifteenth 

Century” developed by Montgomery County Public Schools in Rockville, Maryland. The first 

activity asks students to explore “the possible factors that made the Ottoman Empire powerful.” 

The second prompts students to “explain why Suleiman was considered a great leader” and to 

“identify the human elements present in a great leader and empire.” 

19



MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD: CALLIGRAPHY OF THE 16 th CENTURY 

IMPERIAL COURTS 

http://www.thejerusalemfund.org/gallery/callig/intro.html 

On this interactive website, students will assume a new identity and “travel” to eight courts on 

behalf of Suleiman the Magnificent to determine which court valued calligraphy and the arts more 

than any other court at this time. (Designed for grades 9-12) 

MEMPHIS CELEBRATES THE REPUBLIC OF TURKEY 

http://memphisinmay.org/documents/2008TurkeyGuide.pdf 

“Each year, the Memphis in May International Festival develops this Curriculum Guide for use by 

elementary, middle and high school teachers as a teaching tool to explore the history, culture, 

geography, politics and lifestyle of the festival’s annual honored country.” This is a comprehensive 

guide with practical and useful lesson plans, activities, and worksheets. Pages 62-63 include an 

Ottoman Empire map activity, discussion questions about Suleiman, and additional resources. 

(Ottoman activities designed for grades 9-12) 

OTTOMAN EMPIRE OVERVIEW 

BBC: RELIGION & ETHICS – ISLAM (OTTOMAN EMPIRE) 


This seven-page overview asks “why was the Empire successful?” and also covers Constantinople, 

status of other religions, sultans and the court, Suleiman, and the empire’s decline. 

TURKISH ODYSSEY: THE OTTOMAN PERIOD 

http://www.turkishodyssey.com/turkey/history/history3.htm#OTTOMAN 

This site takes a look at Turkey’s history beginning with the very early ages. Each chapter covers a 

certain period of history, making the site easy to navigate. It also links to images of Turkey and to 

other information concerning the composition of Turkish society. 

TURKEY VISION 

http://www.turkeyvision.com/turkeyinformation-en/history7.htm 

This Turkey travel guide website includes the history of the Ottoman Empire with portraits, other 

artwork, and maps interspersed. 

MODERN HISTORY SOURCEBOOK: TURKISH LETTERS (1555-1562) 

http://www.fordham.edu/halsall/mod/1555busbecq.html 

The Internet Modern History Sourcebook compiled at Fordham University is “a collection of 

public domain and copy-permitted texts for introductory level classes in modern European and 

World history.” This link contains excerpts from Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq’s Turkish Letters. 

Busbecq was the ambassador of the Holy Roman Emperor at the Sultan’s court. 

GETTING TO KNOW SULEIMAN 

SAUDI ARAMCO WORLD: SULEIMAN THE LAWGIVER 

http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/196402/.suleiman.the.lawgiver..htm 

This overview of Suleiman’s territorial expansion and administrative accomplishments, written by 

the editors, appeared in the March/April 1964 print edition of Saudi Aramco World. 

20



ALL ABOUT TURKEY: HISTORY- SULEYMAN THE MAGNIFICENT* 

http://allaboutturkey.com/suleyman.htm 

This site was developed by a Turkish tour guide and is meant to introduce visitors to the basics of 

Turkish history, culture, politics, regions, and to Turkey’s tourist destinations. Suleyman the 

Magnificent’s page includes an overview of his reign, sections on his wife and daughter, and links 

to many other related topics. 

OTTOMAN WEBSITE: KANUNI SULTAN SULEYMAN* 

http://www.osmanli700.gen.tr/english/sultans/10index.html 

Here you can read extensive profiles of key sultans and leaders from the Ottoman Empire, 

including Kanuni Sultan Suleyman. Includes information on military campaigns, foreign relations, 

arts and architecture, and maps. 

THE OTTOMANS 

http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/OTTOMAN/SULEYMAN.HTM* 

This site is a comprehensive slide show covering the foundations and the history of the Ottoman 

Empire. The page covering Suleyman’s rule highlights his various roles in sections entitled 

Suleyman the Just, the Lawgiver, the Conqueror, and the Builder. 

ISTANBUL 

ISTANBUL OFFICIAL WEBSITE 

http://www1.ibb.gov.tr/en-US/KenteBakis/TheCity/OttomanEra/ 

This website has information specifically on the city of Istanbul. Under the tab “The City,” the 

section entitled “Ottoman Era” presents a history of Istanbul from an urban planning, 

architectural, and art history perspective. 

ISTANBUL: PORTRAIT OF A CITY 

http://www.humanities-interactive.org/cultures/istanbul/index.html 

Humanities Interactive is a project of the Texas Council for the Humanities Resource Center. 

Scroll through the gallery on the left-hand side of the page to view scanned images of portraits, 

other artwork, and maps, including many from the Ottoman era. 

GOVERNORSHIP OF ISTANBUL: ISTANBUL THROUGH THE AGES 

http://english.istanbul.gov.tr/Default.aspx?pid=309 

This Istanbul Portal is presented by Istanbul’s Governor’s office, the highest state office of the 

province, and it aims at being a source for the public to learn more about Istanbul. It contains 

information about the history of the city, including significant architecture such as the Suleymaniye 

Mosque and the Rustem Pasa Mosque, built during Suleiman’s reign. 

TOPKAPI PALACE WEBSITE 

http://www.ee.bilkent.edu.tr/%7Ehistory/topkapi.html 

The official website of Topkapi Palace, home to several Ottoman sultans including Suleiman, 

includes history, photos, art, and a detailed floor plan (http://www.ee.bilkent.edu.tr/%7Ehistory/ 

topkapi.html). 

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CULTURE, ART, AND LEISURE 



The Turkish Cultural Foundation website contains a wealth of information concerning Turkish 

cuisine, lifestyle, philosophy, art, music, military, culture, and more. 

REPUBLIC OF TURKEY: MINISTRY OF CULTURE AND TOURISM 

http://www.kultur.gov.tr/EN/BelgeGoster.aspx? 

17A16AE30572D313E603BF9486D4371DE28888CAE96CDD28 

Website created by the Turkish government to inform the public about the importance of culture 

in Turkey. Ottoman Empire section contains images and information on coins, flags, embroidery, 

fountains, engravings, stamps, architecture inside and outside Turkey, cuisine, and women’s 

costumes. 

THE LIVING PAST 

http://livingpast.com/europ.html 

http://livingpast.com/turkp.html 

http://www.livingpast.com/gtc.html 

This site contains “information for historic reenactors and recreationists interested in life in 16th 

century Constantinople/Istanbul.” The links above include photos of period clothing and 

selections on food, drink, and other social customs from The Order of The Great Turks Court by 

Antoine Geuffroy. 

SAUDI ARAMCO WORLD: OTTOMAN ART 

http://www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/198704/the.golden.age.of.ottoman.art.htm 

This thorough article was written by Esin Atil, the former curator of the Freer Gallery of Art in 

Washington, D.C. who assembled the exhibition “The Age of Sultan Süleyman the Magnificent”* 

in 1987. The article describes the Ehl-i Hiref (Community of the Talented), Süleyman’s patronage of 

the arts, and the many decorative styles of the era. 

TIMELINE OF ART HISTORY 

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/suly/hd_suly.htm (Age of Suleyman “the Magnificent”*) 

http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/otto1/hd_otto1.htm (Art of the Ottomans before 1600) 

The Timeline of Art History is a chronological, geographical, and thematic exploration of the history 

of art from around the world, as illustrated especially by the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s 

collection. 

LESSON PLAN TO OTTOMAN LYRIC POETRY 

http://www.cmes.arizona.edu/outreach/Danita%20Dodson.pdf 

This unit exposes students to a necessary but little-known body of literature, involving them in the 

examination of selected aspects of Turkish culture and history. Much of what we most often 

identify as “Islamic” or “Middle Eastern” (in terms of music, food, architecture, dress, art) is a 

product of the Ottoman synthesis of a vast array of multicultural elements that coexisted under the 

canopy of Ottoman rule. Understanding both that students have varied learning styles and that 

literary imagery is multi-sensory, this unit is interdisciplinary, integrating Ottoman literature with 

art, music, and history. Full poems on pages 17-28. 

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WOMEN IN WORLD HISTORY: A MESSAGE FOR THE SULTAN 

http://www.womeninworldhistory.com/sample-10.html 

Activity entitled “A 400 Year Old Love Poem.” One of Sultan Suleiman’s most famous poems was 

written to Hurrem, the famous slave in his harem whom he later married. He signed it “Muhibbi,” 

meaning “lover” or “sweetheart.” Shown on this site in Ottoman Turkish, and partially translated. 

TRADITIONAL TURKISH PUPPET SHADOW PLAY 

http://www.karagoz.net/english/shadowplay.htm 

Puppet shadow play had an important place in Turkey as well as throughout the larger area of the 

Ottoman Empire. This site looks at the different traditions of puppet shadow play in Turkey, 

including a chance to hear the music, see the main characters, and learn about the technique of this 

art form. 

A HISTORY OF COFFEE 

http://eh.net/XIIICongress/cd/papers/64Kafadar16.pdf 

A brief paper by Ottoman historian Cemal Kafadar on the history of coffee and the Ottoman 

origins of coffeehouses. 

BOOKS & VIDEOS 

C. T. Forster and F. H. B. Daniel, eds., The Life and Letters of Ogier Ghiselin de Busbecq, 

vol. I. London: Kegan Paul, 1881. 

Ottoman Lyric Poetry: An Anthology. Edited and translated by Walter Andrews, Najaat Black, 

Mehmet Kalpakli. Austin: University of Texas Press, 1997. 

Andrews, Walter G., and Mehmet Kalpakli. The Age of the Beloveds: Love and the Beloved in 

Early-Modern Ottoman and European Culture and Society. Chapel Hill: Duke University 

Press, 2005. 

Atıl, Esin. Süleymanname: The Illustrated History of Süleyman the Magnificent*. 

Washington, D.C./New York: National Gallery of Art/Abrams, 1986. 

Islam, Empire of Faith (PBS Empires Series). Dir. Robert Gardner. PBS Home Video, 2000. 

Note: Different sources have used different spellings or transliterations of the name Suleiman, 

including Suleyman and Süleyman. For consistency, we have used Suleiman in our writing, but 

when titles of works are included, we have used the spelling found in those titles. 

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Turkish Culture and Society - World Affairs Council

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