Calais

High school (ages 12+)
Geography

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/calais

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. Where is Calais?Subprefecture in the Pas-de-Calais department, Hauts-de-France region, Northern France
2. How many people live in Calais?City proper: 67,544; Urban area: 144,625 (2020)
3. What is the historical significance?Key English possession from 1347 to 1558, vital wool staple port
4. What is the modern connectivity?Major ferry port and French terminus for the Channel Tunnel (opened 1994)
5. What is Calais and why is it important?Calais is a French city on the coast that is very close to England, so it helps ships and trains travel between the two countries.
6. How can you travel from Calais to England?You can take a ferry across the sea or ride a train through the Channel Tunnel that goes under the water.

Strait of Dover: The narrowest sea passage between mainland Europe and Great Britain, crucial for maritime traffic.
Channel Tunnel: An undersea railway tunnel connecting Coquelles, France, with Folkestone, England, operated by Getlink.
Staple Port: A designated port where specific goods, like wool, were legally required to be traded during medieval times.
English Perpendicular Style: A late Gothic architectural style originating in England, characterized by strong vertical lines and large, rectilinear windows.