U5L2: Document A Source: The McMahon-Hussein Correspondence, 1915–1916. Sir Henry McMahon was the British High Commissioner in Egypt and Ali Ibn Hussein was the Sherif of Mecca. McMahon’s primary motivation for the correspondence was to gain Arab support against the Ottoman Empire during WWI. From Sherif Hussein, July 14, 1915 Whereas the whole of the Arab nation without any exception have decided in these last years to accomplish their freedom... and whereas they have found and felt that it is in the interest of the Government of Great Britain to support them and aid them in the attainment of their firm and lawful intentions without any ulterior motives whatsoever. For these reasons the Arab nation sees fit to limit themselves... to asking the Government of Great Britain, if it should think fit, for the approval of the following fundamental propositions... Firstly, England will acknowledge the independence of the Arab countries, bounded on the north by Mersina and Adana up to the 37th degree of latitude... up to the border of Persia; on the east by the borders of Persia up to the Gulf of Basara; on the south by the Indian Ocean, with the exception of the position of Aden to remain as it is; on the west by the Red Sea, the Mediterranean Sea up to Mersina. From Sir Henry McMahon, October 24, 1915 I have lost no time in informing the Government of Great Britain of the contents of your letter, and it is with great pleasure that I communicate to you on their behalf the following statement, which I am confident you will receive with satisfaction. The two districts of Mersina and Alexandretta and portions of Syria lying to the west of the districts of Damascus, Homs, Hamma, and Aleppo cannot be said to be purely Arab, and should be excluded from the limits demanded. With the above modification, and without prejudice of our existing treaties with Arab chiefs, we accept those limits. Who (wrote the source + who is involved in the source & who are they): Where (are they speaking about):

Question

U5L2: Document A Source: The McMahon-Hussein Correspondence, 1915–1916. Sir Henry McMahon was the British High Commissioner in Egypt and Ali Ibn Hussein was the Sherif of Mecca. McMahon’s primary motivation for the correspondence was to gain Arab support against the Ottoman Empire during WWI. From Sherif Hussein, July 14, 1915 Whereas the whole of the Arab nation without any exception have decided in these last years to accomplish their freedom... and whereas they have found and felt that it is in the interest of the Government of Great Britain to support them and aid them in the attainment of their firm and lawful intentions without any ulterior motives whatsoever. For these reasons the Arab nation sees fit to limit themselves... to asking the Government of Great Britain, if it should think fit, for the approval of the following fundamental propositions... Firstly, England will acknowledge the independence of the Arab countries, bounded on the north by Mersina and Adana up to the 37th degree of latitude... up to the border of Persia; on the east by the borders of Persia up to the Gulf of Basara; on the south by the Indian Ocean, with the exception of the position of Aden to remain as it is; on the west by the Red Sea, the Mediterranean Sea up to Mersina. From Sir Henry McMahon, October 24, 1915 I have lost no time in informing the Government of Great Britain of the contents of your letter, and it is with great pleasure that I communicate to you on their behalf the following statement, which I am confident you will receive with satisfaction. The two districts of Mersina and Alexandretta and portions of Syria lying to the west of the districts of Damascus, Homs, Hamma, and Aleppo cannot be said to be purely Arab, and should be excluded from the limits demanded. With the above modification, and without prejudice of our existing treaties with Arab chiefs, we accept those limits. Who (wrote the source + who is involved in the source & who are they): Where (are they speaking about):

©Success Academy Charter Schools World History III, Unit 5: Decolonization and Independence Movements When (did this take place): What (are both parties in the source saying/asking for): Why (would Britain agree to help):

Answer 1

Who wrote the source: The McMahon-Hussein Correspondence was written by Sir Henry McMahon.

Who is involved in the source: The two individuals involved in the source are Sir Henry McMahon, the British High Commissioner in Egypt, and Ali Ibn Hussein, the Sherif of Mecca.

Where are they speaking about: They are speaking about the Arab countries and their independence.

When did this take place: The correspondence took place in 1915-1916.

What are both parties in the source saying/asking for: Sherif Hussein is asking for the acknowledgment of the independence of the Arab countries with specific boundaries. Sir Henry McMahon, on behalf of the British government, accepts these boundaries with some modifications.

Why would Britain agree to help: Britain agrees to help because it sees it in its interest to gain Arab support against the Ottoman Empire during World War I.