9781422284339

E GYPT 14

Mizraim , an ancient name for Egypt that appears in the Bible.

T HE A NCIENT AND THE M ODERN Throughout its long history Egypt has felt the influence of other mighty civilizations, including Persia, Greece, Rome, and, more recently, Great Britain. Traces of these empires remain, yet they are overshadowed by the culture that flourished there centuries earlier. Today, when most people think of Egypt, they imagine them- selves sailing down the Nile, gazing at the awe-inspiring temples of Karnak and Luxor, or pondering the mysteries of the pyramids and the Sphinx. However, there is much more to modern Egypt than the monuments of the past. In some ways, Egypt has changed very little for thousands of years. Most of its people still live along the Nile and in its delta . Agriculture is still one of the most important economic activities. But the government and religion of Egypt have changed completely since the days of the pharaohs. Great cities of the ancient world, such as Cairo and Alexandria, are now modern metropolises with highways and skyscrapers. The ancient Egyptians would hardly recognize the people who work, worship, and play in the streets of these cities. Today, most of Egypt’s inhabitants follow the Muslim faith. Still, the country has a wider variety of religions than some other Arab countries. The Coptic Christian Church started in Egypt nearly 2,000 years ago. Other faiths are represented as well. Most modern

Word to Understand in This Chapter

delta— a triangular area at the mouth of a river, formed by the splitting up of the river into smaller branches as it runs into the sea.