Egyptian History Flashcards

Flashcards covering key events in the history of modern Egypt.

1882

Year in which British troops defeated the Egyptian army and took control of the country.

1914

Year Egypt formally became a British protectorate.

1922

Year Fuad I became king and Egypt gained independence (though British influence remained significant until the 1950s).

Muslim Brotherhood

Organization founded by Hassan al-Banna in 1928, campaigning to reorient Egypt and the Muslim Middle East away from Western influence.

1948

Year Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, and Syria attacked the new state of Israel.

Committee of the Free Officers' Movement

Organization formed in 1949 to overthrow the corrupt Egyptian monarchy.

1952 July

Month and year of the coup by the Free Officers' Movement, leading to Farouk's abdication.

Muhammad Najib

Coup leader who became president of Egypt in June 1953 as Egypt was declared a republic.

Gamal Abdel Nasser

Coup leader who became prime minister in 1954 and president in 1956, ruling until his death in 1970.

1954

Year British forces finally left Egypt after signing the Evacuation Treaty.

1955

Year Prime Minister Nasser reoriented Egypt away from the West towards neutrality and bought arms from Communist Czechoslovakia.

Bandung Conference

Conference attended by Nasser in 1955, establishing him as a key player among non-aligned countries in the Cold War.

1956 July

Month and year President Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal to fund the Aswan High Dam.

1956 October-November

Month and year of the failed invasion of Egypt by Britain, France, and Israel over the nationalization of the Suez Canal.

1958

Year President Nasser stepped up campaign to promote pan-Arab unity, marked by the United Arab Republic with Syria.

1958-61

Years of the United Arab Republic, a unitary state including Syria.

1961-66

Years President Nasser adopted socialist policies, including nationalization of industry and repression of opponents.

1967 May

Year Egypt expelled UN buffer forces from Sinai and closed the Straits of Tiran to Israeli ships.

1967 June

Month and year of the Israeli pre-emptive attack that defeated Egypt, Jordan, and Syria.

Emergency Law

Law largely suspending civil rights after the 1967 defeat, remaining in force until 2012.

1967-1970

Years of the War of Attrition against Israel.

1970 September

Month and year Nasser died and was succeeded by Anwar al-Sadat.

1972

Year President Sadat expelled Soviet advisors and reoriented Egypt towards the West.

1973 October

Month and year Egypt and Syria went to war with Israel to reclaim land lost in 1967.

1975 June

Month and year the Suez Canal was re-opened for the first time since the 1967 war.

1977 October

Month and year President Sadat visited Israel, beginning the process that led to the 1979 peace treaty.

1981 October

Month and year President Sadat was assassinated by Islamist extremists.

Hosni Mubarak

President who succeeded Sadat.

1991

Year Egypt joined the allied coalition to expel Iraqi troops from Kuwait.

2011 January

Month and year of anti-government demonstrations in Egypt, encouraged by Tunisian protests.

2011 February

Month and year President Mubarak stepped down and handed power to an army council.