ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

France in the long nineteenth century

Okay kiddo, let me tell you about France in the long nineteenth century. That's a big phrase, but it means the time period from 1789 to 1914. A lot happened in France during that time, so let me break it down for you.

At the start of this time period, France was ruled by a king, Louis XVI. But in 1789, something big happened that changed everything. The people of France got very angry with the way the king was running things, and they decided to take matters into their own hands. They stormed a big prison called the Bastille, which was a symbol of the king's power, and they started a revolution.

The French Revolution was a huge event that lasted for over ten years. During that time, the people of France got rid of the king and his ruling class, and they tried to create a new type of government that was based on the ideas of liberty, equality, and fraternity. They also had some really big wars with other countries, trying to spread their new ideas.

After the Revolution, France went through a lot of different governments. There were some pretty bad times, like when Napoleon took over and started fighting wars all over Europe. But there were also some good times, like when they finally settled on a government that was more representative of the people.

During the long nineteenth century, France went through a lot of changes. The economy started to grow, which meant that more people had jobs and made more money. They also built a lot of new things, like roads, trains, and factories. This was called the Industrial Revolution, and it transformed the country.

France also had a lot of cultural changes during this time. People started to write books and plays that were more realistic and showed life as it really was. Artists painted pictures that were more colorful and expressive. And music changed too, with composers like Debussy and Ravel creating new styles that were really different from the more traditional music before.

Overall, France in the long nineteenth century was a time of big changes, both good and bad. It was a time when people fought for their rights and tried to make their country a better place. And it was a time when new ideas and technologies changed the way people lived and worked.