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It is not
uninteresting, before the departure for a trip around the world of several
years, to point out its roots by presenting on this web a short history of
France integrated into a political Europe in progress. The text is written
starting from the facts and the symbols of these two entities.
The sources of information are given by the hypertext links.
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La France today, has more than five thousand years of history
which it would be illusory, even presumptuous to want to summarize.
In the 7th century BC the people come from the centre of Europe, the
Celts, crossed the Rhine and settled on a part of the territory
of what is France today. It is difficult to give to France a date of
birth, to choose 496 and the baptism of Clovis king of the Francs, or
987 the coronation of Hughes Capet, founder of the dynasty which reigned
for nine centuries on the country, or 1789 and the Revolution. |
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The Tricolour, the three-coloured
flag, born from the combination, under the French revolution, of the
colours of the king (white) and the town of Paris (blue and red) became
the national emblem by the law of the 27 pluviôse year II (February 15, 1794).
Originally a revolutionary battle song and hymn to liberty, the
Marseillaise, has became the national anthem.
On proposal of the Seine representative, Benjamin Raspail, the law of
July 6, 1880 made of July 14 the national holiday of the Republic.
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Political Europe arose from the will
of three men who conceived this generous idea at the end of the Second
World War, Jean Monnet, Paul-Henri Spaak, Alcide de Gasperi. The impulse
was given by "Declaration of Robert Schumann" on May 09, 1950.
The continuation of this enthralling adventure without precedent in the
history of humanity is told by the official site of
the European Union.
The challenge launched by this political construction is up to the hopes
of the people concerned with the abandonment of secular conflicts.
A crucial stage will be reached by the adoption of new institutions and
its expansion to eastern nations. |
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The flag was adopted in
1986 by the Council of Europe. Its heraldic description is 'on azure
field a circle of twelve golden mullets, their points not touching'.
The European anthem adopted by the Council of Europe
in 1972 and used by the European Union since 1986 is the Ode to Joy
of the 9th Symphony by Beethoven.
Europe day was fixed on May 09, date of the Schumann
declaration. Prizes are awarded each year, gold stars of twinning for towns,
the European Diploma for natural sites. |
