What was the Arab awakening?

Answer 1

There are two different and very distinct events called the "Arab Awakening", so it should be clarified what you are talking about.

The Arab Awakening of 1917, also called the Arab Revolt, was a political and military action by the Bedouin Arabs of Nejd and their allies within the Ottoman provinces of Hejaz and Yemen to rise up against Ottoman control with British support. This revolt was directly sponsored by the British Empire and their liaison to the region, Lawrence of Arabia. The revolt was successful in itself, since those lands came under Arab control in a relatively short amount of time, and was successful in drawing off a number of Ottoman forces from their engagements against the British forces closer to Istanbul (in World War I).

The Arab Awakening of 2011, also called the Arab Spring, was a citizens' protest that occurred in several countries throughout the Arab world. It was the outcome of a number of repressive policies against Arab citizens from their own governments. This anger was fomenting in the Arab populaces (at different rates in different countries) pretty much since the Independence Movements secured the European Colonizers' retreat. The reason the Arab Spring did not happen earlier is that most Arabs did not believe that they had the power to overthrow their governments or demand reforms. The ouster of Zine Abidine ben Ali in Tunisia changed that view and encouraged Arabs in different states to revolt against their leadership.