Unit Overview:

This unit carries on from the Renaissance and Protestant Reformation to understand what was happening in the Arab world at this time. Students examined the rise and fall of the Ottoman Empire through readings and documentary. We then took time to examine the rise and beliefs of ISIS so that students could compare how the Middle East has evolved in recent years.

 

Personal Unit Overview: What did you achieve this unit?

I learned a lot about ISIS and their goals. I also learned a lot about what they want and what they do. This was new to me because I did not know much about ISIS before this unit. I also learned a lot about the Ottoman Empire and what they do, before this unit I did not know much about the Ottoman Empire. I also developed my note taking skills because we went fast and I learned how to take notes more efficiently.

 

Enduring Understandings: How do empires become powerful?

Empires can become very powerful by taking over a lot of land and being rich. Empires can take over land by having a strong army and good military tactics. Empires become very rich by being in the center of trade and selling a lot of their materials to other countries. Empires also need a strong government that is not corrupt in order to become powerful because a strong government will make the land and the people on it be under control. Overall, countries can become very powerful by becoming rich, gaining a lot of land and having a strong government.

 

 

Area of strength: Which standard was your strength and why?

Standard: Publish clear and coherent writing for an intended purpose and audience through the dynamic use of technology.

 

I was able to use technology and make my work the way I wanted it to be. I was able to write for my intended

audience because the way I designed the writing stays in the format my intended audience should follow.

 

Area of growth: Which standard needs improvement and how can you improve for the future ?

Standard: Uses multiple sources to synthesize and integrate information

 

I was not able to use many sources in most of my work because I cannot find many good sources. I could try to focus more on finding good resources rather than finding only one and using that website's information.

 

Evidence:

ISIS Narrative:

Raqqa, Syria July 31, 2011 My brother Ahmed and I are part of the ISIS Hisbah. Today we are going to patrol the city because it is one day before Ramadan and we need to make sure that nothing wrong is going on. “Hello my brother, what are you selling?” I said while walking up to a man at his shop “Good day, I am selling hummus,” He replies. My brother and I then check the shop to make sure that he is not selling anything wrong because of Ramadan tomorrow. “Your shop is ok, peace be with you my brother, goodbye.”  My brother tells the man who works at the shop while we are walking, “Thank you, happy Ramadan brothers.” The man at the shop says quickly while we are walking away. Sharia Law is a very big factor of how people's lives are in ISIS because we follow Sharia Law very strongly. I sometimes think that the punishments are too strict and a bit cruel. Although it may be a bit cruel but it is good because it keeps things in order and keeps control of people in the area so no one can escape.

A month later one day after Ramadan Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi makes the call that we are going to attack the Syrian military base near ISIS territory because we have had it surrounded for a while now. He claims that if we win the battle it will be a good start to leading us to the battle of Dabiq where we can begin the countdown to the apocalypse. Ahmed is getting ready because we are going to capture the military base and none of us can tell if we'll survive this attack. Our military leader is speaking through a microphone “Today we bring no mercy, today we fight for ISIS, today we claim that land ours! Takbir!” He screams “Allahu Akbar!” Shouts all the rest of the soldiers. My brother and I get on the back of a pickup truck and start heading toward the military base. When we get there we get off along with many other ISIS soldiers. We all dive for cover and start shooting at the now retaliating Syrian soldiers, after exchanging fire for a few hours we start to move forward to enter the base only when we got 20 meters close to the base did we realize there were still more Syrian soldiers. Ahmed gets shot in the thigh and is bleeding out on the ground the rest of the ISIS soldier return fire to the Syrian soldiers so I can help my brother out. I quickly take some bandages I had in my pockets and started applying pressure to his leg but it was not enough, he could not survive because of how much he was bleeding. I had to leave his body because the other ISIS soldiers needed my assistance making the final push to capture the base. We have successfully captured the base only with minor casualties on our side. Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi requests that we put the bodies and hang the heads of the Syrian soldiers in the city  center to display our power. Abu Bakr Al-Baghdadi also says that this is good training for the battle of Dabiq to start the end of the world.

The next morning I am full of grief and decide that I will try to escape ISIS and flee to America to tell them about what ISIS wants and what they plan to do. The day after the raid of the Syrian military base I start packing up my bags and plan to leave. It is really early therefore I have a higher chance of being able to sneak pass ISIS patrols especially because I know roughly where the soldiers are going to patrol in the morning. I take my bags and head to America. To be continued.