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History of France
The name “France” comes from the Latin word Francia. This means “land of the Franks”. The borders of modern France are similar to ancient Gaul. Celtic Gauls lived in Ancient Gaul.

Julius Caesar conquered Gaul for Rome in the 1st century BC. The Gauls then started speaking Latin, which later became the French language. Christianity became popular in France by the 4th and 5th centuries.

France in 1477. The red line shows the Kingdom of France. Light blue is the royal land.
In the 4th century AD, Germanic tribes, especially the Franks, invaded Gaul. This is when the name Francie appeared. The Franks were the first European tribe after the Roman Empire fell to become Christian.

The Treaty of Verdun in 843 split Charlemagne’s large empire into three parts. Western Francia was the biggest part, and it is similar to modern France.

The Carolingian dynasty ruled France until 987. Then, Hugh Capet became King. His family, including the Capetians, the House of Valois, and the House of Bourbon, united the country. They did this through many wars and family inheritances.

The monarchy was strongest in the 17th century under King Louis XIV. At that time, France had the largest population in Europe. It had a big impact on European politics, economy, and culture. French became the language used for diplomacy between countries. Many new ideas from the Enlightenment came from France. French scientists also made important discoveries in the 1700s. France also gained many lands overseas in the Americas, Africa, and Asia.

Louis XIV, known as the “Sun King”, was the absolute ruler of France. He made France the most powerful country in Europe.
France was a monarchy until the French Revolution in 1789. King Louis XVI and his wife, Marie Antoinette, were executed in 1793. Many other French citizens were also killed. Napoleon Bonaparte took control in 1799. He later made himself Emperor of the First Empire (1804–1814). His armies conquered most of Europe. The metric system was created by French scientists during the French Revolution.

After Napoleon’s defeat in 1815 at the Battle of Waterloo, another monarchy started. Later, Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte created the Second Empire in 1852. He was removed after France lost the Franco-Prussian War in 1870. The Third Republic then took over.

In the 19th century, the large French colonial empire included parts of West Africa and Southeast Asia. France influenced the culture and politics of these areas. Many former colonies still speak French today.

France was a major battleground in both the First and Second World Wars. During the First World War, millions died in the trenches. Over a million died in the Battle of the Somme alone. Conditions were very bad.

During the Second World War, Nazi forces took over France. The Allies landed in Normandy on June 6, 1944. This started the Battle of Normandy. German forces lost control of France in just a few months.

source: France facts for kids Kids Encyclopedia Facts