 starter activity Map showing British Empire at its height in early twentieth century. If you were a school child at that time and looked at the map on the classroom wall, how would you feel ?

British overseas territories today British overseas territories today. How would the same school child in the early 1900s feel about this map if they could have seen it?

 Your task. Pin the tail on Suez  Your task. Pin the tail on Suez! Where do you think the Suez Canal was on this map?

What was the Suez Canal ? The Suez Canal opened to traffic in November 1869 It was built by Frenchman Ferdinand de Lesseps using Egyptian forced labour and new technology; an estimated 120,000 workers died during construction It stretches 192km (120 miles) between the Mediterranean and the Red Sea It is 300m (984ft) wide at its narrowest point

Technology Used Machines such as the Diesel Engine powered Dredger, invented during the industrial revolution helped build the canal The dredger helped excavate the land under the water and turn a shallow waterway into one of the major trade canals in the world

The Suez Canal reduced the sea route to Asia by 6,000 km Red – Route from Europe to Asia before Suez Canal Blue – Route from Europe to Asia after Suez Canal

Both the Panama and Suez Canals greatly improved world trade.

Why is the canal so important? By 1955 approximately two-thirds of Europe's oil passed through the canal About 7.5% of world sea trade is carried via the canal today On average Egypt makes $425 million dollars each month on ships using canal Over 18,000 ships pass through the canal each year