Bergama district from Tanzimat to the second constitutional era (1839-1908)

This study investigates the development and shift that Bergama - which is a district within the boundaries of Aydın Province - underwent during the years 1839-1908. As it is known, the post-Tanzimat modernism movement was felt from the very top position in state to the very bottom administrative unit. With respect to this notion, the awareness of a modern local government, which began to spread during post-Tanzimat era, was examined by considering its repercussions on the administrative structure, population, economic structure, education and archaeology of Bergama district scale. During the study, the coherence was provided by using documents obtained from General Directorate of Ottoman Archives of the Prime Ministry, dividend books, population registeries, Bergama Islamic registeries, endowments and Aydın Province Annuals which also constituted a road map towards the composition of the thesis content. The thesis is composed of an introduction and the remaining four parts. In the first part administrative divisions, in the second part the social life, in the third part economic structure and in the fourth part archeological excavation activities are studied in detail. Briefly; with this thesis, the purpose was to present Bergama District's social, cultural, economic and administrative structures and its place, identity, and cultural heritage within the region where it was situated between Tanzimat (1839) and Second Constitutional Era (1908) with regard to local historiography. Key Words: Bergama, District, Tanzimat, Second Constitutional Era.