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Early History Around 3,500 B.C. the Phoenicians came from the Arabian Peninsula. They built cities at Beirut,
Byblos, Tyre, Sidon, and Baalbek. The Phoenicians also established a 22-letter alphabet. The territory of what is now Lebanon
was conquered and became part of the Roman Empire in 64 B.C. during the time of when Pomey the Great conquered all of the
whole territory of what is now Lebanon. The territory was governed as a part of Syria. Aramaic replaced replaced Phoenician
as the main language in the 4th century when Christianity was firmly established throughout the Lebanese territory. Lebanon
became a religious refuge. In the 7th century the Christian section turned into the Maronite church. The Maronites settled
in the Lebanon Mountains for safety from the Arabs. The Arabs were inspired by the teachings of the Holy Prophet Muhammed.
Lebanon became a popular religious refuge to the Muslims and Shiites in the 9th century and the Druzes in the 11th century.
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Under
the Ottoman Empire In
1516 the Ottoman Turks conquered Lebanon along with the rest of the Mediterranean Coast.T hey allowed a reasonable amount
of self-government. Two powerful chieftains emerged, one Druze and one Maronite. The next years were without turmoil. Lebanon
developed economic and religious ties with Europe. When Lebanon was opened to the west a lot of political disagreement France,
Russia, and Britain. These countries all protected certain ethnic groups of Lebanon. In 1860 , at the end of a bloody civil
war in which the Druzes slaughtered the Maronites. Britain and France intervened and pressured the Turks to set up a new Christian-dominated
administration which lasted until World War 1. After World war 1 Lebanon became governmentally ruled by France. When France
took control of the government they redefined the boarders. The French combined the largely Muslim-inhabited coast with the
Christian-dominated mountain thus creating the Republic of Lebanon. It remained under French rule until 1943 when Lebanon
became fully independent.
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