in order to keep european ships out
Gamal Abdel Nasser took over the Suez canal because he needed the money from it
In 1955 Egyptian Premier Gamal Abdel Nasser was the leader of Egypt. In 1956 he nationalized the Suez Canal to the objection of England and France.
He decided to nationalise ( read take over ) the Suez Canal and drastically raise prices for foreign shipping using it.
The 1956 Suez Crisis involved Egypt, led by President Gamal Abdel Nasser, and a coalition of the United Kingdom, France, and Israel. The conflict arose when Nasser nationalized the Suez Canal, previously controlled by British and French interests, prompting the invasion by the three countries. The United States and the Soviet Union played significant roles in diplomatic negotiations, ultimately leading to the withdrawal of invading forces and reinforcing Egypt's control over the canal.
In October 1956, the United Kingdom, France, and Israel signed a secret agreement known as the Sevres Protocol to seize control of the Suez Canal. This agreement was part of a strategy to regain Western control over the canal following its nationalization by Egyptian President Gamal Abdel Nasser. The operation, however, faced significant international backlash and was ultimately unsuccessful, leading to a withdrawal of the invading forces.
The Arab Republic of Egypt retained control of the canal, but was required to observe International Law in monitoring and directing use of the canal. Israeli forces occupied the Sinai Peninsula from early November 1956 to March 1957 before withdrawing under Eisenhower's peace plan.
He did it because he needed the Revenue, but more importantly because he wanted to assert Egyptian sovereignty over all areas of Egypt and reject Western Influences.
Over 2.4 million Egyptian workers were involved in the digging of the Suez Canal; over 125,000 lost their lives during the construction.
The UK, France, and Israel fought Egypt over the rights to the Suez Canal.
The Suez Canal connects the Mediterranean Sea and the Gulf of Suez. This typically would have been dug by hand, but the canal utilized new steam technology and dredging systems to create the canal. When Egypt took over the Suez Canal Company, it marked the end of the British Empire's control on the area.
The Suez Canal was an important waterway in Egypt and a significant site in the Age of Imperialism. More specifically, European nations such as Britain and France fought over control of the Suez Canal, as it proved to be a strategic waterway for imperialistic campaigns. As such, historians consider the history of the Suez Canal to be significant to the European imperialism in Africa (Scramble for Africa) and British Imperialism in India.
Egypt planned to use money from control of the canal to build the dam