Syria Is a Country Bordering the Mediterranean Sea and Is Considered Part of the ______East

SyriaNotes

The Basics

Syria is a country bordering the Mediterranean Sea and is considered part of the ______East.
Syria’s climate is mostly ______and their economy is founded on: ______, ______, ______, and ______.
Syria is roughly the size of the state of Missouri and is home to over _____ million people.

Recent History

Since 2000, Syria has been ruled by President Bashar al-______.
His rule has been ______, meaning governed by one person, without any democracy.
Since 2011, the Syrian people have protested against him, demanding their basic ______rights.
Their revolt has been part of a movement for freedom in the Middle East known as the ______Spring.
The Arab Spring is a ______movement, meaning that it stretches across the Arab countries of the Middle East. The Arab Spring started in the country of ______. Soon afterwards, other Arab countries also rebelled against autocratic leaders, demanding ______and a better standard of living.

The Rebellion

The revolt in Syria was started by ______who wrote anti-government graffiti on the walls of their city.
Assad’s forces struck back, attempting to ______the rebellion with brutal force.
It didn’t work.
Over ______Syrians have been killed in the past four years, in what became a fierce ______between the opposition and the government.
Millions of people have been forced to flee to______camps in neighboring countries.

The World’s Reaction

The ______is based in New York City. This organization includes ______from countries all over the world who work together to keep peace around the globe. Their role is to promote and protect human rights.
The U.S. and other countries have tried to work within the United Nations to find a ______solution in Syria.
But ______, ______, and ______have stood by the Assad regime. They’ve blocked the U.N. from taking strong action.
Right now it is unclear how long Assad will remain in power. The ______says he must go.
The U.N. has implemented ______on Syria—economic ______that target Assad’s bank account.

Why Syria Matters

The Syrian uprising started as a push for freedom and democracy – values we share. The United States has its own history fighting______in the American Revolution.
History has also shown that ______often spreads to other countries if it is not stopped.

Syrian Questions