Basic background material
(a) Origins of Arab nationalism
1798 Napeoleon invades Egypt. Start of European colonialism in Arab world.
C19 Beginnings of modern education system in Arab world. Start of printing in Arabic on a wide scale. Development of periodicals and journals. Emergence of Islamic modernists such as Jamal al-Din al-Afghani, and the Egyptian Muhammad Abduh.
1908–1918 Young Turks, under leadership of nationalistic Turkish army officers, emerge as dominant element in Ottoman government. Arab elements begin to demand greater autonomy for Arab Ottoman provinces. Appearance of nationalist groups in Arab world on lines of Young Turks, such as Young Tunisians in Tunisia.
Early C.20 Opposition to British colonial rule in Egypt, and French rule in Tunisia and later Algeria and Morocco. Localised to particular country, rather than pan–Arab, and committed to achieving better access to education etc. within colonial framework, rather than political independence.
(b) Arab independence and the rise of pan–Arabism
1918 Following formal end of Ottoman sovereignty (north) Yemen achieves independence. Britain subsequently extends its rule in southern Arabian peninsula to Aden (south Yemen).
1919 With defeat of Ottoman Empire Britain gains control over Iraq and Palestine, and France over Syria and Lebanon under mandate established by Treaty of Versailles. France also controls most of N. Africa.
1919–1922 Nationalist uprising against British rule in Egypt. Uprising suppressed, but leads to creation of the nationalist Wafd party.
1923 Treaty of Lausanne establishes Turkish republic in Anatolia (and small adjoining part of Europe). Subsequent success of Ataturk has profound effect on Arab nationalists.
1924 Wahhabi Saudi ruler of Najd defeats Sherif Hussein of Mecca, ruler of Hijaz and establishes rule over both areas. (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia officially established, 1934).
1932 Iraq obtains full independence.
1933 Establishment of Young Egypt youth movement working for patriotic goals by paramilitary methods. Successor to Socialist Party of Egypt.
1934 Italian Fascist government conquers whole of Libya.
1936 Egypt obtains full independence; Britain keeps troops in Suez Canal Zone.
1941 Syria and Lebanon obtain full independence from France (although French troops remain in Syria until 1946).