Aug. 15-21, 2013, Current Events Lesson Plan
Current Event:
The deaths of more than 600 people in attacks by Egyptian security forces on two encampments of Islamist protesters in Cairo, Egypt‘s capitol, has inflamed an increasingly violent situation in that Middle Eastern country. The Islamists were protesting the military overthrow of Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, the country’s first democratically elected president, on July 3, 2013. The military acted after millions of Egyptians rallied nationwide, demanding Morsi’s resignation. Many Egyptians believed that Morsi was more interested in turning Egypt into an Islamist state than in dealing with its many problems. More than 1 million people were thrown out of work during Morsi’s one-year presidency.
Following the attack on the encampments, 30 Islamist protesters who were being transported to a prison outside Cairo were killed. According to the Ministry of the Interior, the deaths occurred as the prisoners attempted to escape. The Muslim Brotherhood, however, characterized the deaths as “assassinations,” claiming the men were tear-gassed and shot through the windows of a locked prison van. The Muslim Brotherhood, one of the most influential political and religious movements in the Middle East, calls for Muslim nations to establish governments based on Islamic principles. Morsi is a member and former chairman of Egypt’s Freedom and Justice Party, the political arm of the Brotherhood. Since the military coup, Morsi’s Brotherhood supporters have often clashed with state security forces. Street battles between the two groups have claimed more than 1,000 lives since August 14.
Elsewhere in Cairo, mobs retaliated against authorities by attacking government buildings and a dozen police stations, as well as Coptic Christian churches. Some Islamists have condemned Egypt’s Coptic Christian minority for supporting the military coup.
Objective:
Egypt is a Middle Eastern country in the northeast corner of Africa. A small part of Egypt is in Asia. Egypt is a birthplace of civilization. The ancient Egyptians developed a great culture about 5,000 years ago. Desert covers most of the country. Almost all of Egypt’s people live near the Nile River or along the Suez Canal. Cairo, Egypt’s capital and largest city, is also the largest city in Africa. Most Egyptians consider themselves Arabs. More than 90 percent of Egyptians are Muslims. In January 2011, antigovernment protests called for an end to the presidency of Hosni Mubarak, the country’s long-time ruler. Mubarak stepped down on February 11. In June 2012, voters elected Mohamed Morsi as Egypt’s new president. Later that year, Morsi sparked large protests by attempting to give himself what some Egyptians considered dictatorial powers. In July 2013, a military coup removed Morsi from office. The Behind the Headlines news stories and related World Book articles explore Egypt.
Words to know:
- Arabs
- Cairo
- Egypt
- Egypt, Ancient
- Hosni Mubarak
- Islam
- Mohamed Morsi
- Muslim Brotherhood
- Muslims
- Nile River
- Suez Canal
Discussion Topics:
1. Ask your students what they know about Egypt. (Students might say that Egypt is in the Middle East; Cairo is the country’s capital and largest city; the Great Sphinx and the Great Pyramid are in Egypt; the Nile River flows through Egypt.)
2. Ask your students what they know about the ancient Egyptians. (Students might say that they used hieroglyphics; built the pyramids as tombs for their kings; mummified corpses; believed in many gods and goddesses, including Horus, Isis, Osiris, and Re.)
3. The Great Pyramid is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World that is still standing. Ask your students what they would choose as the seven wonders of whichever country they live in.
4. Some international affairs experts believe that Egypt is careening toward civil war. Ask your students to debate, “The United Nations should involve themselves in any country that might be heading toward civil war.”
5. Ask your students to use the World Book’s Timelines feature to create a timeline of the history of Egypt. (Students may wish to use the History section of World Book’s Egypt article for help.) Students can also use World Book’s Ancient Egypt article to make a timeline of the history of ancient Egypt.