History of the European Union

The European Union (EU) is a group of countries that decided to work together to make things better for everyone. It started off with just six countries in 1957 - France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Luxembourg, and the Netherlands. They decided to work together to help each other out after the devastation of World War II.

At first, their cooperation focused on trade - making it easier for each other to buy and sell things. Over time, they started to work on other things too, like protecting the environment, fighting crime, and making sure people's human rights were respected.

More countries wanted to join the EU, and by the 1990s, there were 15 member countries. Then came a really big moment in European history - on May 1, 2004, ten new countries joined the EU, including countries from Eastern Europe that had been separated from the rest of Europe by the Iron Curtain during the Cold War.

Since then, more countries have joined, and now there are 27 member countries in the EU. They all work together to make decisions about things that affect everyone, like how much pollution is allowed, what to do about refugees, and how to keep the economy strong.

The EU has its own flag, its own anthem, and its own currency, the euro. It has also helped to keep peace in Europe and has been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts.

In short, the European Union is a group of countries working together for a better future.