2.5 Causes of 911 - Information Sheets

What Caused 9/11?
Early Involvement
Britain became closely involved in the Middle East when the Suez
Canal opened in 1869. They used it as a route to India.
By 1910, huge oil fields were discovered in the Gulf. Britain (and
America) wanted to control what happened in the Area. They knew
they could make huge profits from oil.
Whilst the Arabs living in the area had once belonged to a huge
empire, most now lived in separate kingdoms under a Turkish
(Ottoman Empire). They were relatively weak and poor.
The region
where
enormous
oil fields
were found
in the early
20th Century
“The Gulf”
The Suez Canal opened in
1869. It made trade between
Britain and India much quicker
and more profitable.
Activity 1
Find the box marked “Early Western Involvement in the Middle

East”.
Tick one these key issues:

• The Suez Canal
• Oil Fields
• Profits
Finish the sentence: America/Britain became involves in the

Middle East because… (explain what phrase/word you chose
based on your learning).
What Caused 9/11?
Promises made….. and broken
• In WWI, the Ottoman Turks ended up on the losing side. At

the end of the War, Britain, France and the USA met at the
Paris Peace Conference to decide what should happen to
the land.
• During the war, Britain had persuaded the Arabs to fight
against the Turks in return for a united Arab state at the end.
• The British did not deliver. They organised the land into
separate countries, controlled by Britain or France until the
Arabs were ready to rule for themselves.
• At the time of Christ, all Jews lived in the area on the map
called Palestine. The promised land. In 1917, a British
Government minister promised the Jews that Britain would
help them win the land in Palestine (The Balfour
Declaration)
They had promised the same piece of land to the two different
groups!
• The Jews wanted a nation of their own (Zionism).
• The Arabs wanted a nation of their own, who would live
under the rules of Islam (Islamism).
Activity 2
Find the box marked “Zionism and Islamism”.
Decide which one of the phrases helps to explain the growth of

Zionism and Islamism best.
Then put a tick next to it:

• The promised land
• The Paris Peace Conference
• Balfour Declaration
Explain what it means in 2 sentences.

What Caused 9/11?
The USA and Israel
America was the first country to recognise Israel and has remained
its closest ally ever since.
This is because:
• Israel was a democracy
• The USA has a large Jewish population
• Many Arab states were friendly with America’s great enemy,
the Soviet Union
In 1948, 1967 and 1973, there were wars between Israel and the
Arab States (Arab-Israeli wars). If the Arabs had won, they would
have destroyed Israel. The Israelis feared this would lead to
another Holocaust. However, they never lost and were actually
able to take more Arab land. In 1967, the United Nations ordered
Israel to give back the land it had won in the war. Israel refused.
Step In Osama bin Laden
A young Saudi Arabian, Osama was angry that Israel, supported by

the USA, could not be defeated. Following extremist ideas, he
called for a violent ‘Jihad’ (struggle) against weak Muslim leaders
and non-Muslims.
Activity 3
Find the box marked “The Growth of Israel and Arab anger at
Israel”.
Decide which one of the phrases helps to explain these ideas

and put a tick next to it:
• The Holocaust
• Extremist ideas
• Arab-Israeli Wars
• The United Nations
Explain it in 2 sentences.
What Caused 9/11?
Violence breeding violence
In 1979, a new enemy stirred Osama bin Laden into action. The Soviet
Union (Russia) invaded the Muslim land of Afghanistan. Thousands of
extremist Muslims (including bin Laden travelled from all over the world to
fight against the Russians. Amazingly, Russia lost in 1989. Bin Laden
believed this was a sign that God was on his side and nothing was
impossible. He stayed in Afghanistan and built up a secret group to
support attacks on the enemies of Islam. He called the group “Al-Qaeda”
(“The Base”).
In 1990, the Muslim leader of Iraq, Saddam Hussein, invaded another
Muslim state; Kuwait. This cut oil supplies to the wider world. Within a few
months a massive UN force, made up of mainly American troops, quickly
restored Kuwait’s freedom. Most Arab states supported the UN actions as
they feared Saddam Hussein would cause wars. During this “Gulf War”,
the Saudi Arabian rulers invited American troops and aircraft to be based
there while the war against Iraq went on. They also allowed American
forces to stay their afterwards, in order to stop Iraq causing more wars.
Two of Islam’s most holy sites are found in Saudi Arabia; Mecca and
Medina. Bin Laden felt that the
presence of the US Army in Saudi was
unclean. He vowed to drive the
Americans out.
After the war ended in 1991, the UN

wanted to stop Saddam from re-
building his army, so put strict
sanctions (UN sanctions) on trade
with Iraq. Bin Laden believed that Iraqi children were dying as sanctions
cut medical supplies. He pointed out that the UN did not do this to Israel
even though it never obeyed the UN’s orders to give back Palestinian land.
It was American ships and planes that enforced the sanctions. Bin Laden’s
hatred of America grew.
Activity 4
Find the box marked “The rise of Al-Qaeda and US forces in the
Middle East”.
Pick the two most important issues and put a tick next to them:
• Russia
• Saudi Arabian Rulers
• UN Sanctions
• Iraq
Explain your reasoning in one or two sentences why these are the
most important.
What caused 9/11?
Suicide and Murder
The number of suicide bombings grew throughout the 1980s.
Terrorist leaders told suicide bombers they would gain a special

place in Paradise by dying for Islam, but most religious leaders
condemn suicide attacks as murder.
Al-Qaeda supported more and more suicide attacks against

America in the 1990s.
Although aware that they could not win a conventional war, bin
Laden believed suicide attacks would make the Americans leave
the Middle East and end their support for Israel.
Activity 5
Find the box marked “Suicide attacks Grow”.
Explain Osama bin Laden’s beliefs about using suicide

bombers.

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What Caused 9/11?

Find the box marked “Early Western Involvement in the Middle

Tick one these key issues:

Finish the sentence: America/Britain became involves in the

Promises made….. and broken

• In WWI, the Ottoman Turks ended up on the losing side. At

Find the box marked “Zionism and Islamism”.

Decide which one of the phrases helps to explain the growth of

Then put a tick next to it:

Explain what it means in 2 sentences.

The USA and Israel

Step In Osama bin Laden

A young Saudi Arabian, Osama was angry that Israel, supported by

Decide which one of the phrases helps to explain these ideas

After the war ended in 1991, the UN

Suicide and Murder

The number of suicide bombings grew throughout the 1980s.

Terrorist leaders told suicide bombers they would gain a special

Al-Qaeda supported more and more suicide attacks against

Find the box marked “Suicide attacks Grow”.

Explain Osama bin Laden’s beliefs about using suicide

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