ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

History of Romania

Okay kiddo, let's dive into the history of Romania!

Imagine a long, long time ago, before TV or cars or computers, there were people living in what we now call Romania. These people were different tribes, like the Dacians and the Thracians. They had their own languages, traditions and beliefs.

In 106 AD, the Roman Empire conquered their land and called it Dacia. The Romans built cities and roads and spread their language, Latin. So some people started speaking Latin instead of the old Dacian or Thracian language.

Fast forward to the Middle Ages, when Romania was divided into different regions ruled by various kingdoms and empires. The Hungarians, Germans, and Ottomans all had a turn at controlling parts of Romania.

But in 1859, two regions Moldavia and Wallachia decided to unite and form a new country called Romania, which became independent from the Ottoman Empire. The new country was led by Prince Alexandru Ioan Cuza, who helped modernize Romania and passed laws to improve education and the rights of peasants.

During World War I, Romania fought on the side of the Allies, but suffered terrible losses. After the war, they gained more land, including Transylvania, which had been part of Hungary.

In 1940, Romania lost control of some of its territory to the Soviet Union and Bulgaria. During World War II, Romania joined the Axis powers, but then switched sides to the Allies when they saw the war was not going well for Germany.

After the war, Romania became a communist country led by Nicolae Ceausescu. He ruled for over 20 years, which was a long time, and people were not happy with his leadership. In 1989, they had a revolution and overthrew the government. Ceausescu was captured and executed, and Romania became a democratic country.

Today, Romania is part of the European Union and NATO. It has a rich history, beautiful landscapes, and people who are proud of their heritage.