French famous saying: "Our ancestors are Gauls, and our motherland is France."

There have been human activities in France in ancient times. The paintings of the Lascaux Cave in France, dating back 15,000 years, are the remains of human paintings from the Paleolithic Age.

In 1000 BC, the Celts originated from the Danube River Basin in Central Europe and were the first to refine ironware in Europe. The Romans called the Celts "Gauls."

In the 1st century BC, Caesar conquered Gaul. From then on, the Roman Empire ruled the Gaul region for 500 years.

In 476 AD, the Western Roman Empire fell. After that, the Franks established the Frankish Kingdom. Its glorious moment was during the reign of Charlemagne in the early 9th century, when he conquered most of Europe.

From 1337 to 1453, during the Hundred Years War between England and France, "Joan of Arc" helped France win, and a true French nation-state entered the European stage.

Louis XIV (1638~1715) called himself the "Sun King" and reigned for 72 years, making him the longest reigning monarch in world history.

With the help of Cardinal Richelieu, Louis XIV established a centralized state with an autocratic monarchy, built the Palace of Versailles, vigorously developed industry and agriculture, carried out overseas trade and colonial movements, and launched the Several large-scale wars dominated Europe, and France was deeply in debt in his later years.

During the period of Louis XV, France was in trouble both internally and externally. His famous saying was - "After I die, even if the floods are raging".

The Enlightenment movement initiated by French thinkers Montesquieu (1689~1755), Voltaire (1694~1778), and Rousseau (1712~1778) used the light of reason to dispel the darkness of ignorance. , was another ideological liberation movement after the Renaissance, which prepared the ideological preparation for the French Revolution. The modern concepts of "separation of powers," "natural human rights," and "liberty, equality, and fraternity" all come from the Enlightenment.

On July 14, 1789, the people of Paris captured the Bastille, marking the beginning of the French Revolution. July 14 became France’s National Day.

The French Revolution overthrew the Bourbon dynasty and Louis XVI was guillotined.

Napoleon (1769~1821) was a talented military strategist and politician who started in the army. He defended the achievements of the French Revolution, promoted the development of French capitalism, and frightened the European powers with his sharp sword. .

In 1799, Napoleon launched the Coup of Brumaire and took office as the First Consul of France. He subsequently carried out a number of reforms and promulgated the Napoleonic Code, which was the first civil law code in history.

In 1805, the combined French and Spanish fleets were defeated in the Battle of Trafalgar, and were no longer able to attack the British mainland. Although he failed in the naval battle, in the "Battle of Austerlitz" (historically known as the "Battle of the Three Emperors") of the same year, Napoleon achieved a brilliant victory, shattering the third anti-French alliance, and France dominated the land.

At its peak, Napoleon's empire was three times the size of modern France and ruled half of Europe's population.

In 1807, a continental blockade was issued in an attempt to strangle Britain economically, but it was difficult to implement.

In 1812, Napoleon mistakenly attacked Russia. The cold winter in Russia became a nightmare for the French army. After the defeat, it was unable to withstand the attack of the anti-French alliance. Napoleon abdicated and was exiled to the island of Elba.

In 1815, Napoleon escaped from the island, returned to France, and miraculously regained power, known as the "Hundred Days Dynasty". Later, he failed in the Battle of Waterloo and was exiled to St. Helena Island. Finally died on the island.

Napoleon’s success:

A. Popular support. Marx said: "Napoleon is not a figure in the eyes of the peasants, but a program." His extraordinary achievements greatly inspired national pride, and the French revered Napoleon.

B. Protect and encourage the development of capitalism, the development of free competitive markets, and the improvement of production efficiency.

C. Outstanding military talents.

Napoleon established a new type of army, reused artillery and cavalry, and focused on concentrating superior forces to eliminate the enemy's effective forces, rather than the gains and losses of one city or one place.

Napoleon deeply influenced the entire world. Hugo commented on him: "He is a person, but he is still solemn in his negligence, still outstanding in his stains, and still outstanding in his sins." Someone with great talent and great strategy.”

In 1870, France was defeated in the Franco-Prussian War.

In 1871, Paris workers revolted and established the Paris Commune, which was the first attempt by the proletariat to seize power.

In World War I, France experienced the "Meat Grinder of Verdun" and the "Bloody Battle of the Somme". Although it won, it suffered heavy losses.

During World War II, the rapid collapse of France shocked the world. The "Maginot Line" built with heavy investment was bypassed by the German army. Completely defeated.

De Gaulle organized a government in exile to continue the fight against Nazi Germany. After World War II, General Charles de Gaulle became president of France and implemented an independent foreign policy. He was the first major Western country to establish diplomatic relations with my country.

In 1960, France withdrew from NATO after successfully detonating an atomic bomb.

France actively promotes European integration. In 1992, many countries signed the "Maastricht Treaty" (the "Treaty of European Union") in the Netherlands, which upgraded the European Union to the European Union.

French artist:

Balzac (1799~1850) created a lot of works in his life, collectively known as "Human Comedy".

Hugo (1802~1885) French writer, author of "Notre Dame de Paris" and "Les Misérables".

Alexandre Dumas (1802~1870) was a popular novelist and author of "The Count of Monte Cristo" and "The Three Musketeers".

Monet (1840~1926) French painter, founder of Impressionism, "Sunrise·Impression".

Rodin (1840~1917) French sculptor, created "The Thinker".

Gauguin (1848~1903) French painter, "Where Do We Come From?" Who are we? Where are we going? 》

Maupassant (1850~1893) was the king of short stories. His works include "The Necklace" and "The Ball of Suif".