Egypt

1. Egypt Everything you want to know

2. Egypt: History

3. History • Over view: • Egypt has a very long history beginning in 3,500 B.C. with early settlers coming to the Nile valley • Their system of writing, Hieroglyphic script, started in 3100 B.C. • 2700 First stone pyramid built • 2600 B.C. Pyramids of Giza built

4. History • 1100 B.C. upper and lower Egypt split • 525 B.C. Persians conquered Egypt • 332 Alexander the Great conquered Egypt • 196 Rosetta Stone carved • 30 B.C. Cleopatra Vii died • 300 A.D last use of hieroglyphic writing • 969 A.D. City of Cairo founded • 1798 A.D. Napoleon Bonaparte invaded Egypt

5. History • 1800’s explorers begin to uncover monuments of ancient Egypt • 1822 Hieroglyphs deciphered • 1922 the tomb of King Tut discovered • 1953 Egypt became independent • The history can be divided into periods: • Old Kingdom (2686-2160 B.C.) • First Intermediate Period (2160-2040 B.C.)

6. History • Middle Kingdom (2040-1633 B.C.) • Second Intermediate Period (1786-1558 B.C.) • New Kingdom (1558-1085 B.C.) • Third Intermediate Period (1085-525 B.C.)

7. Egypt Capital

8. Capital • Cairo is the capital of Egypt • Known as the Triumphant City • Founded on July 16th, 969 AD • It is Africa’s most populous city and the Arab world’s cultural center • Perfect place for visitors because it has art galleries, music halls, cultural centers and much more • Lots of shopping: rugs, copper and antiques

9. Capital • On the east side there is evidence of 2000 years of Islamic, Christian Coptic and Jewish culture flourishing • On the west side is the Ancient Egyptian city, Memphis (Giza), the renowned capital of the Old Kingdom and where the Pyramids are located

10. Egypt: Customs

11. Customs • Family Values: - Kinship is an important role in all social relations - The individual is always subordinate to the family, tribe or group - Nepotism is viewed positively, since it is patronage of one’s family - The family consists of both the nuclear and the extended family

12. Customs • Social Class - very apparent in Egypt since it determines your access to power and position - The class you are born into dictates their everyday life and the opportunities they will have - Their social class consist of the typical three classes: upper, middle, and lower - The status is defined more by family background than by absolute wealth

13. Customs • Meeting Etiquette - Greetings are based on both class and the religion of the person - Follow the lead of the Egyptian you are meeting - handshakes are customary for individuals of the same sex - Once a relationship is developed, it is common to kiss on one cheek and then the other while shaking hands, men with men and women with women

14. Customs • Dining Etiquette - Remove shoes before entering - Dress well and conservatively - Compliment host on the house • Table manners - Wait for the host to tell you where to sit - Eat with the right hand only - It is a compliment to take second helpings - Salting your food is considered an insult - Leave a small amount of food on your plate when full or they will keep filling it up for you

15. Customs • My homeland, my homeland, my hallowed land, • Only to you, is my due heart love at command, • My homeland, homeland, my hallowed land, • Only to you is my due hearty love at command, • Mother of the great ancient land, • My sacred wish and holy demand, • All should love, awe and cherish thee, • Gracious is thy Nile to humanity, • No evil hand can harm or do you wrong, • So long as your free sons are strong, • My homeland, my homeland, my hallowed land, • Only to you, is my due hearty love at command.

16. Egypt: Climate

17. climate • Egypt’s climate is pretty steady year round • Unlike the U.S.’s 4 seasons, Egypt only has 2: a mild winter that lasts from November to April & a hot summer from May to October. • Most of the days are either warm or hot with cool nights

18. Egypt: Language &population

19. language • The primary language of Egypt is Arabic and in 1971 it was declared Egypt’s official language • Arabic has been the written and spoken language for almost 13 centuries • As in any country the dialect is different depending on the region • Most Educated people and shopkeepers can speak English and French

20. Language • Before the Arab invasion in AD 639, Coptic was the language of the religious and the mass population • Coptic was the language that descended from ancient Egyptian • As many know, the first written language of Egypt was hieroglyphics • They fill the walls of the pyramids

21. population • The first population census was in 1882 resulting in a population of 6.7 million at that time. • Their census is conducted every 10 years • 2006 is the most recent census and it is estimated to have reached 76.5 million including people who live abroad. • Cairo has the largest population growth percentage at 10.7%

22. Egypt: Laws & Government

23. laws • Two interesting laws pending in Egypt include: • 1. legalizing the marriage of girls as young as 14 • 2. A husband would be allowed to have sex with his dead wife as long as it was within 6 hours of her death

24. Laws • Encouraging conversion to Christian faith is illegal • photography of or near military official installations is strictly prohibited • IT is illegal for homosexuals to act so in public or they will be convicted for breaching laws on public decency • Even small amounts of illegal drugs can lead to 25 years or life imprisonment or even death

25. government • Egyptian government has had a powerful centralized rule since time time of pharaohs • In ancient times they had a pyramid social system that created their ruling: • Nobility • Scribal class • Working class • Outcasts

26. Government • Egypt has recently experienced a revolution in Feb. 2011 • They are in the process of switching to a democracy • They have been divided into three groups: the military and supporters of the Mubarak regime, the Muslim Brotherhood (Islamic party that had been banned), and the young liberal (those who set off the revolution to begin with)

27. Government • Egypt continues to work toward peace and have a proposed constitution in place • They are working closely with the U.S. to help cut their debt and receive assistance • Mr. Morsi is the current President

28. Egypt: religion

29. religion • 94% is Muslim (Sunni) • 6% is Coptic Christian and other

30. Religion • IN ancient times death was a very large part of their religion • They viewed death as a transition into the next world and believed that the body and object placed with the body would pass on too • Tombs were used for burials • The bodies were mummified and all organs were removed from the body and placed in jars around the coffin

31. Religion • If someone was important enough, like a pharaoh, to have a tomb then all their gold and precious items were placed in the tomb when mummification was complete • They had up to 2000 gods and goddesses they worshiped • The temples were where the gods were said to spend their time so they made them everywhere

32. Egypt: holidays

33. holidays • Egypt celebrates secular and Muslim religious holidays • The major Muslim holiday is Eid al-Fitr, which is at the end of the month of fasting, Ramadan. • During Ramadan, Muslims refrain from eating, drinking, or having sex during daylight hours • This is to help them understand the suffering of the world

34. Holidays • After Ramadan they celebrate Eid al-Fitr for three days • The other major holiday is Eid al-Adha and it commemorates an incident showing the willingness of the Prophet Abraham and his son to obey God’s command in all things • Secular holidays include: *New Year’s Day (Jan.1), Mother’s Day (Mar. 31), Sinai liberation Day (apr. 25), Labor day (May 1), Evacuation Day commemorating the departure of the British (Jun. 18), • Revolution Day (July 23), National Day (Oct. 6) and Victory Day (Dec. 23)

35. Holidays • Muslim holidays: • Laylat al-Qadr- toward the end of Ramadan, “Night of Power”, which is when the first verses of the Qur’an were revealed to Muhammad • Hajj- During the 12th month of the Islamic calendar, millions of Muslims make an annual pilgrimage to mecca, Saudi Arabia called Hajj • Day of Arafat- during one day of the Hajj, pilgrims gather at the Plain of Arafat to seek God’s mercy, and Muslims elsewhere fast for the day

36. Egypt: Gender roles

37. Gender roles • Egyptian gender roles are similar to the U.S. in the early 1900’s • They feel that men were created to go out in the world and provide for their families • Women are meant to be in the home taking care of children, the house and her husband. • Views of women are taken from the Qur’an although they are subject to interpretation

38. Gender roles • Women are also expected to be very modestly dressed at all times • It is believed that women’s sexuality is “endangering the social harmony of society” • That is why they make it a point to keep women in the home as much as possible • The belief is also reinforced through cultural and religious views

39. Egypt: Attire & currency

40. attire • Women: • It is important for women to have their shoulders, chest, stomach and knees covered when in public • Because of the warm/hot weather the clothes are loose fitting and made of light material • When they are going into the mosque or any religious place they must cover all bare skin and take off their shoes

41. Attire • Men: • Wear loose fitting trousers and shirts • They can wear T-shirts and polo shirts • Shorts are ok if they go below the knees • But they are not allowed to be worn in mosques or religious places • A few men wear robes to cover them but most do not

42. Attire • Children: • Girls dress much like the women • Instead of dresses they wear long skirts and shirts that must go at least to their elbows • Boys have attire like the men with long, loose fitting trousers and shirts • Egyptians like to touch blonde hair so if visiting with blonde hair you may want to cover it

43. currency • The currency of Egypt is known as the Pound • One Egyptian pound= 0.15 U.S. dollar

44. Egypt: Schooling

45. schooling • Uniforms are required in Egyptian public schools: • Boys wear trousers and white shirts with a tie • Girls wear skirts (knee length) and white shirts wit a tie • School starts in mid September and goes through June • Based on the British system • Students stay in one classroom all day and teachers rotate to the classes

46. Schooling • Egypt’s educational system is one of the largest in the world • Most students are enrolled in public schools because private schools are so expensive • Boys populate the schools more than girls • Public higher education is free

47. Egypt: Manufacturing

48. manufacturing • Well known as an exporter of petroleum products, textiles, chemicals and metal products • Examples of products: audio and visual equipment, diamonds, gold, gold ore, and steel • Natural Resources: • Bees of Egypt • Oil & Gas • Papyrus Plant • Slender-Horned Gazelle • Arabian Oryx

49. Egypt: food

50. food • Examples of food in Egypt: • Pita Bread- common for lunch usually with hummus spread. Another popular spread is made with chickpeas • Kebabs- stick with bite-sized pieces of various meats and veggies grilled over a fire. Meat used lamb or chicken • Fruits: Much of the same fruits as in U.S. like bananas, oranges, peaches and grapes