Section6.France

** 1.History/Background of E.U. Country **


 * [[image:France_flag_lg.gif width="287" height="163"]]



Click on the picture to see a 360 image of the Eiffel Tower. ||  France has a very interesting history, including kings, battles, and a place called Gaul. So let's dive into French history! In 600 B.C. the Lingurians and the Gauls inhabited the area we now call France. Then, in 52 B.C. France, at the time known as Gaul, was conqured by the Roman empire. In 751 the French (the Carolingian dynasty) had their first king, whose name was Pippin the Short. Sadly, in 1337, The Hundred Years' War broke out between France and England. In 1429 a sudden miracle occurred; Joan of Arc, a famous woman for her deed, led the French army to save Orleans. Royalty! In 1610 Louie XIII inherited the crown. Louie XIV resigned in 1715 after 72 years of service to France. In 1774 Louie XVI became king. Horror hit France in 1914 when they joined World War I, and by the end, in 1918, France had lost 1.5 million soldiers. During World War II, France was overtaken by Germany. They had control over most of the region. In the 1950's, France came together with five other countries and created what is now the European Union. In 2005, tempers arose when France didn't approve the E.U.'s constitution. Now France is a leading economic center with a jam-packed history. 

Did you know that the French are some of the most patriotic people in the world? They are very loyal to their country, their past, and their sports teams. They are also very passionate about everyday life activities. To the French, painting isn't the only artistic aspect. French cuisine and their sense of fashion are also considered masterpieces.

When the French cook, everything is very precise and has to be just right. Sometimes they will only make a small portion of food and arrange it on a plate so it will look like a work of art. During a meal, French are very polite and formal, whether it is breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Some meals with many family members can last at least four hours! Also, no matter how expensive the bill is, the person who invited their party out to eat is expected to pay. I sure wouldn't want to be the one to pay, especially if there were several entrees, because a French meal can have up to twelve courses. ||


 * 2. Year of Admission to E.U. History and General Information about the E.U.**
 * || The European Union was started in 1951, with France as a founding member. On March 25, 1957, six countries came together to form the ECSC, the European Coal and Steel Community. These countries were France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. Throughout the 1950's, many treaties were signed, such as: The Treaty of Paris, The Treaty of Rome, The European Atomic Energy Community or EURATOM, and the European Economic Community. Now the E.U. is made up of 27 European countries that contain about 500,000,000 (five hundred million) people. The European Council, located in Brussels, Belgium, makes most of the decisions for the E.U. The Court of Justice, located in Luxembourg, is made up of 27 judges (1 representing each country). The majority of countries in the E.U. speak either German or English, but many other languages are widely spoken. After WWII, the people of Europe decided that in order to create a lasting peace between the continent they needed to unite the two most powerful countries. Thus, France and Germany were joined politically and economically. The E.U. is a very convenient place to travel through. For example, you can travel freely throughout all countries in the E.U., for there are no boundaries between borders. The E.U. is also a very powerful economic center because they have established a trade block, where countries who want to trade with Europe either trade with all the countries of the E.U., or they don't trade with the E.U. at all. ||


 * 3. How does the E.U. and your country feel about global temperatures/climate change? (//environmental issue)// **
 * || Our country, France, feels concerned about the ongoing negative affects that climate change has on the world. It participates in an international agreement on air pollution and ozone layer protection along with many other environmental protection issues. France has been trying to stop climate change for a while. They are trying to prevent global warming by passing new rules and regulations about the environment.

Many countries in the E.U. are trying to take action to stop climate change. In fact, since 1990, the greenhouse gas emissions have gone down. The E.U. is trying its hardest to try and stop climate change, but it is aware that it is just too late for some things to be fixed. They have also done extensive research on the topic of climate change, and now have much more knowledge about it. media type="file" key="Hallie 1.wav" width="300" height="50" Click on the link to hear our view! ||

You may be wondering about France's thoughts on the war in Afghanistan. The French President, Nicholas Sarkozy, recently sent 1,000 more troops to Afghanistan. President Sarkozy held a vote recently asking if France should keep the troops in Afghanistan or withdraw all troops from the war, after losing 10 soldiers in a battle. Even though many French citizens regret sending the soldiers, President Sarkozy recently stated that if he had to make the choice (about the troops) again he would do it all the same.
 * 4. How does the E.U. and your country feel about supporting the war in Afghanistan? //(political issue)// **
 * || 

-Did you know that the European Union is spending close to 1,000,000 (one million) Euros in Afghanistan a year? That’s about 1.5 million U.S. dollars! media type="file" key="Hallie 2.wav" width="300" height="50" Click on the link to hear our view! ||


 * 5. What is the economic background of your country and how does your country feel about supporting the economies of weaker countries in the E.U? //(economic issue)// **
 * || France gains a lot of money on tourism. Did you know that Europe has the third highest income in the world from tourism? France is the most visited country in the whole world. France has one of the world's most well-developed economies. They also have many exports and manufacturing businesses. Some of their main exports include milk, butter, cheese, barley, and wheat. France manufactures automobiles, aerospace technology, information technology, electronics, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, and, of course, fashion. They also create many wines and perfumes.

France does support helping the economies of weaker E.U. countries. France is a very rich and prosperous country, so they have the means to help out. They are also a leading industrial economy, which also enables them to help. media type="file" key="Hallie 3.wav" width="300" height="50" Click on the link to hear our view! ||