For a quick view of Egypt, |
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For a quick view of Egypt, |
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Cairo is the capital of Egypt and the biggest city in Africa. It is considered the jewel of the Orient, the city of the thousand minarets, and the melting pot of ancient and modern Egyptian civilizations.
The most outstanding geographical feature of Egypt is the Nile River. Flowing through a desert country, the Nile is the lifeline of Egypt and supplies about 85 percent of the country's fresh water. The Nile River begins in East Africa and flows north through the countries of Sudan and Egypt to the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile River is the longest river in the world.
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6 - 8 |
QCC: Compares maps and text descriptions of an area to draw inferences from them. | Using the map above, trace the Nile River from its source to its mouth. What is the location of the mouth of the Nile River? |
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2 - 4 |
QCC: Arrange events, facts and ideas in sequence. | List the names of the countries shown on this map in alphabetical order. |
Old Cairo actually predates Cairo itself to old Babylon and the Romans. Located here are some of the oldest Christian Churches in the World, as well as one of the oldest Mosques.
The Pyramids of Giza, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, stand on a desert plateau close to modern Cairo. Built around 2500 BC, they form part of the mortuary complexes of three pharaohs of the Old Kingdom of ancient Egypt -- Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure. The largest is the Great Pyramid of Khufu which originally stood about 146 meters high. The Pyramids have now outlasted many great dynasties and conquerors of Egypt.
For more information about Pyramids click here.
Hieroglyphics
Early Egyptians recorded history on the walls of their tombs using a form of
ancient picture-writing called hieroglyphics. Each symbol was called a hieroglyph. Because everyone did not agree on what each hieroglyph
represented, archaeologists and historians could not "crack the code" to read
the messages. Then someone discovered the Rosetta Stone, a tablet containing a
single message written in hieroglyphic, demotic Egyptian and Greek. In 1799 Jean
Francois Champollion, a Frenchman, was able to decipher the code of the
hieroglyphs when he translated the Greek and compared it to the other two
writings.
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6 - 8 |
QCC: Assesses cultural expressions of art, music, and literature. | Students will use the hieroglyph link to write a short message to a friend. |
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QCC: Compares the present day customs and lifestyles of the United States to selected places in the Eastern Hemisphere including Japan and Australia | Students will use the hieroglyph link to translate their names into ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics. |
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Eighty-four percent of Egyptians are Muslims
who practice Islam, the national religion. Men are heads of their
families, and women are expected to care for home and family. Many
marriages are arranged.
| In 1960 many Nubians, Blacks who were originally from Sudan, brought their culture to Cairo when the Aswan High Dam caused the Nile river to flood their land. |  |
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Most Christians in Cairo belong to the Coptic Christian Church which still uses the Coptic language. Coptic was the official language of Egypt before A.D. 800. |
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6 - 8 |
QCC: Explains how social institutions (religion, government, and economics) influence the attitudes and behaviors of people. | Click on the TourEgypt Web Site to go to its web page on Modern Egyptian culture. Click on the title of your choice. Read the related article and write a brief summary to share with the class. |
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2 - 4 |
QCC: Acquires information through reading, observing and listening. | Click on the Color Me Egypt Page from the TourEgypt Web Site. Look at the pictures from Ancient Egyptian culture. Select one picture and ask the teacher to help you print an outline copy of the picture to color. Share your completed picture with the class, telling what the subject meant in Ancient Egypt. |
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In 1997 the average
Egyptian earned about $1,100.00 a year. About 40 percent of Egyptians work
on farms, 30 percent in government jobs, and 20 percent in private businesses.
About 8-11 percent are unemployed.
Cotton, petroleum, and aluminum products are Egypt's
biggest exports. Imported products include flour, meat, cars and
steel.
Many citizens in Cairo earn their livings from tourism. The world is awed by its
pyramids and other ancient treasures. Some features of the nomadic lifestyle,
such as in bargaining at the camel market or visiting the Street of the
Tentmakers in old Cairo, have been incorporated into the tourist
trade.
Egyptian money is counted in pounds. American tourists must convert their
American dollars to Egyptian pounds when they enter Cairo.
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6 - 8 |
QCC: Explains how people in all economic systems engage in basic economic activities: producing, exchanging, consuming, saving, and investing. | In the Cairo Bazaar an American tourist finds a decorative camel blanket that he wants to purchase as a souvenir. The tour guide tells him that he can buy the blanket for $35 American. Use the currency converter from the Egyptian Money web site to determine how many Egyptian pounds he must have. |
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2 - 4 |
QCC: Uses various print and non-print reference sources to locate information. | Go to the Egyptian Money web site, scroll to the bottom of the page, and find a list of names and denominations of Egyptian bills. Click on the names of several bills to see pictures of both sides of the bills. Select your favorite, print a picture of the bill, and share it with the class, describing scenes or other features shown on the bill. |
Egyptians line up to vote
Cairo is the capital of Egypt whose present government is a democratic republic. There are three branches of the government -- legislative, executive, and judicial -- but the greatest power is with the president. Muhammad Hosni Mubarak has been the president of Egypt since 1981.
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President and Mrs. Mubarak have
encouraged social reform and advancements in education.
At the present time there are not enough public schools to provide free
public education for all children. Encouraged by Mrs. Mubarak more women are participating in public life and are registering to vote. |
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Cairo - American Relations after 9/11/01
Many American tourists have cancelled or
delayed travel to Cairo because they fear terrorist attacks from radical Islamic
groups. Both American and Egyptian leaders are eager to impress on the public
that Islam does not support terrorism. The Egyptian Minister of Tourism says
Americans in Egypt are safe.
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6 - 8 |
QCC: Identifies the politial and economic structures that have evolved to deal with basic issues. | Go to the Egyptian Government site and read about the duties of the branches of the Egyptian Government. List the names of the three branches and list the duties of each branch. |
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2 - 4 |
QCC: Locate and gather information related to a problem. | In the history of the modern republic of Egypt there have been three presidents who have lead their country. They are Gamal Abdel-Nasser, Anwar al-Sadat, and Hosny Mubarak. Choose one of the presidents, click on the link with his name, and list three significant facts about his life. |
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(Cities through Time Series) Runeston Press, 2001 |
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by Kathleen W. Deady (Countries of the World Series) Bridgestone Books, 2001 |
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by Nicole Frank and Susan L. Wilson Gareth Stevens Publishing, 2000 |
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by Ted Park Steadwell Books, 2001 |
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by Henry Puckrose Franklin Watts, 1998 |
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What is the most outstanding geographical feature in Egypt? A. Nile River B. Cairo Bazaar C. Mosque of Muhammad D. Sphinx |
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The mouth of the Nile River empties into what body of water? A. Red Sea B. Suez Canal C. Mediterranean Sea D. Atlantic Ocean |
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What tourist attraction in Cairo is one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World? A. Cairo Tower B. The Pyramids of Giza C. Camel Market D. Street of the Tentmakers |
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About how old are the Great Pyramids of Giza? A. 4,500 years B. 2,500 years C. 1,000 years D. 500 years |
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What is the national religion of Egypt? A. Hindu B. Roman Catholic C. Coptic Christian D. Islam |
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Why is English often spoken in Cairo business and governmental meetings? A. Because most Americans do not speak Arabic B. Because Egyptians want to impress Americans C. Because Egyptians think it makes them look good D. Because Egyptians pride themselves in being multi-lingual |
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What is the name of Egyptian Currency? A. Lira B. Egyptian Pound C. Egyptian Dollar D. Yen |
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What are the three major exports of Egypt? A. gasoline, cars, gold B. aluminum, diamonds, camels C. cotton, petroleum, aluminum D. cotton, steel, rice |
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Who is the current president of Egypt? A. Muhammad Hosni Mubarak B. George W. Bush C. Gamal Abdel-Nassar D. Anwar al-Sadat |
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What are the three branches of the Egyptian Government? A. president, court, mayor B. parliament, congress, prime minister C. legislative, executive, judicial D. king, prime minister, assembly |
| No God but God: Egypt and the Triumph of Islam by Geneive Abdo. Oxford University Press, 2000.. |
| Egypt: a new true book by Karen L. Jacobsen. Childrens Press. 1990. |
| Egypt, a true book by Elaine Landau. Childrens Press. 2000. |
| Nile, Lifeline of Egypt by Violet Weingarten. Illustrated by Ronni Solbert. Maps by Fred Kliem. Garrard, 1964. |
| Egypt by Susan L. Wilson. (Countries of the World Series). Gareth Stevens Publishing. 1999. |
This web site was created by
Linda Reynolds and Jackie Rhyner
All Rights
Reserved, 2002