Important dates in the Egyptian revolution
- 1798 Napoleon Bonaparte led a French invasion of Egypt. The invasion eventually failed, but many important archaeological treasures were found, including the famous Rosetta Stone, which was uncovered in 1799.
- 1805 Muhammad Ali secured control of Egypt and steered the country on an ambitious modernization program.
- 1882 British troops occupied Egypt. A nationalist movement soon sprang up.
- 1914 Great Britain declared Egypt a protectorate.
- 1922 Egypt became independent, but Great Britain retained many powers.
- 1942 The German advance in North Africa during World War II was halted by Allied forces at the Battle of Al 'Alamayn (El 'Alamein).
- 1948 Egypt and other Arab countries invaded the newly created state of Israel, but were defeated.
- 1952 Gamal Abdel Nasser led a revolt that overthrew Egypt's monarchy. Two years later Nasser assumed complete executive authority.
- 1956 Egypt nationalized the Suez Canal to finance the Aswan High Dam project. French, British, and Israeli armies invaded and captured the Sinai Peninsula. The United Nations helped negotiate a settlement.
- 1958 Egypt and Syria formed the United Arab Republic. Syria withdrew in 1961, but Egypt continued to use the name until 1971.
- 1967 Egypt lost the Sinai Peninsula and most of its air force during the Six-Day War with Israel.
- 1970 Nasser died and was succeeded by Anwar al-Sadat.
- 1973 Egypt fought Israel in the Arab-Israeli War of 1973.
- 1979 Egypt and Israel signed a peace treaty arranging for the return of the Sinai Peninsula to Egypt.
- 1981 Sadat was assassinated by military officers. He was succeeded by Hosni Mubarak.
- 1991 Egyptian forces participated in the Persian Gulf War against Iraq.
- 1995 Archaeologists discovered the tomb of King Ramses II's many sons, the largest tomb in Egypt's Valley of the Kings.
National Movements and New States in Africa