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HISTORY OF EUROPEAN INTEGRATIONRemembering our rootsThe origins of the Europe we know today go way, way back. To understand what Europe does for us today, it’s important to know how it began. The first attempts …Some people, like Charlemagne and Napoleon, tried to combine all the countries of Europe into a single nation. But back then Europe was mostly formed as a result of bloody wars. In the 20th century two wars broke out on the continent of Europe and then spread to the whole world. That’s why they are called world wars. The First World War took place between 1914 and 1918, and around 20 years later the Second World War began. Did you know that the name ‘Europe’ comes from Greek mythology? Europa was a beautiful princess who lived in Tyre, on the Asian coast of the Mediterranean (Lebanon). Zeus, the king of the gods, fell in love with her. He seduced her and took her to Greece. They had three children and it was from the princess that the continent got its name: Europe. The Second World WarAfter the Second World War, in 1945, Europe was in ruins. Because of that awful war, which lasted for six years, 20 million children were orphaned, roads were completely destroyed, and people died of hunger and fled their countries. It was complete devastation. Everything had to be rebuilt. Two blocs in disagreementAfter 1945 peace returned to Europe, but Europe was divided into two blocs: eastern Europe and western Europe. The dividing line ran through Germany. So Germany was divided into two countries: East Germany and West Germany. The lives of the people on either side were very different. How did people live peacefully in the West in spite of everything?And what does this have to do with the European Union, you might ask? On 9 May 1950 a French statesman, Robert Schuman, had an ingenious idea: West Germany and France would work together in the coal and steel industries. That meant that they would never again think of going to war against each other. Western Europe began to rebuild itself in peace. Without drawing them, name some objects that can be made from steel. The European Coal and Steel CommunityVery soon other countries got involved in the coal and steel project: Belgium, Italy, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. On 18 April 1951 these six countries signed a text called a ‘treaty’ establishing the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). Another step towards peace! EU pioneersBut building a united Europe wasn’t going to be easy. It needed truly committed visionary leaders – both men and women – to support the idea and turn it into a real common project. Today when we talk about them we call them the ‘EU pioneers’. Who are they? 1A - 2D - 3E – 4B – 5E – 6F – 7C – 8A - 9D – 10E The European Economic Community (EEC)Following on from coal and steel, the six countries decided to set up a large market without borders. In 1957 they created the European Economic Community (EEC). ‘Economic’ means that it relates to money, business, work and trade. The economy got back on track. The war seemed very far away. Western Europe was at peace. The Berlin Wall (see map) Do you remember how, after the Second World War, Europe was divided into two blocs that couldn’t get along? In 1961 East Germany built a wall that divided the city of Berlin into East Berlin and West Berlin. The people living there could no longer get from the East to the West. The Berlin Wall was the symbol of the Cold War, the separation between the East (communist) and the West (capitalist). In the East the state owned and organised everything: farming and industrial production, and the distribution of goods. In the West the people were free, they could express themselves, set up a business, travel, choose their leaders and vote. The first enlargementsWestern Europe was growing and other countries wanted to join the original six members of the EEC. In 1973 Denmark, Ireland and the United Kingdom (1) became members. Then the enlargement towards the south of Europe started, with Greece joining in 1981, followed by Spain and Portugal in 1986. The fall of the WallIn 1989 a very important event took place at the heart of the European continent: East Europeans were reunited with west Europeans. The Berlin Wall that had separated them both physically and politically was gone. Thousands of Berliners tore down the Wall and joined their fellow compatriots: Germany was reunified. There was a huge celebration among the people of Europe. This event marked the end of communism in Germany and, over the years, many east European countries gradually joined the European Union. Birth of the European UnionIn 1992, through the Maastricht Treaty, the European Economic Community became the European Union (EU). The successive enlargementsBetween 1995 and 2013, 16 countries joined the European Union. With the departure of the United Kingdom from the European Union in 2020, there are now 27 Member States. EUROPEAN TREATIESSigning agreementsThe treatiesWhether in a playground or in Europe itself, the more people there are, the harder it is to agree on something. And everyone wants to defend their own ideas. So we have to talk in order to find solutions. These solutions are set out in ‘treaties’. A treaty is an agreement concluded and signed by the Heads of State or Government of the EU’s Member States. In some ways it’s like the EU’s operating instructions. Seven major treaties have been agreed so far. In general, they’re named after the city in which they were signed. The most recent was the Treaty of Lisbon. How to join the European Union Any European country can ask to join the European Union, but there are some conditions:
EUROPEAN SYMBOLSAffirming our diversityThe EU flagThe European Union’s flag is blue with a circle of 12 gold stars. The EU anthemThe European anthem is ‘Ode to joy’, taken from the ninth symphony of the famous German composer Ludwig van Beethoven. It has no words but evokes the ideals of freedom, peace and solidarity the EU represents. The EU motto ‘In varietate concordia’The European Union’s motto, first adopted in 2000, means ‘United in diversity’. This motto reflects the way in which the European Union has been formed, enriching itself through the continent’s diverse cultures, traditions and languages. On this map of Europe, discover little pictures that illustrate some landmarks, personalities, food and other national characteristics and traditions of each EU country. 9 May — Europe DayEurope Day is celebrated on 9 May and commemorates the Schuman Declaration of 1950, which is when European integration truly began. Around this date, the EU institutions open their doors to the public. GEOGRAPHY OF EUROPEUnderstanding our common areaWhen we talk about Europe, we can mean different things. Europe is first and foremost a continent. Continents are large expanses of land sometimes separated by oceans. The continent of Europe is made up of many countries or territories, and 27 of these countries have decided to be part of a common area known as the European Union. And some of those EU countries have decided to use a single currency: the euro. They are part of the ‘euro area’.
FUTURE OF THE EUROPEAN UNIONLooking to the futureThe European Union has gradually been formed by the ideas of brave men and women who have fought for peace. It’s the fruit of a long history in which we have all played a part. Of course it’s not completely perfect yet: it’s a project that evolves every day. And tomorrow it will be the young people of today who move it forward. There are still major problems that will only be solved if all the countries work together. But who will build this Europe of tomorrow? Your generation will BUILD it together!
If you want to learn how Europe is organised and operates on a daily basis, have a look at these two brochures:
Available formatsThis online publication is available in 24 languages and in the following formats:
Manuscript updated on March 2022 by the European Commission Luxembourg: Publications Office of the European Union, 2022 Did you find this publication useful? Let us know: © European Union, 2022 The reuse policy of European Commission documents is implemented by Commission Decision 2011/833/EU of 12 December 2011 on the reuse of Commission documents (OJ L 330, 14.12.2011, p. 39). Unless otherwise noted, the reuse of this document is authorised under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC‐BY 4.0) licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).This means that reuse is allowed provided appropriate credit is given and any changes are indicated. For any use or reproduction of elements that are not owned by the European Union, permission may need to be sought directly from the respective rightholders. All images © European Union, unless otherwise stated. How were the origins of ww2 in Europe and Asia similar?In what way were the origins of World War II in Asia and in Europe similar to each other? How were they different? Both Japan and Germany were dissatisfied with their positions in the international power structure. Both expanded their territories through force, causing tensions with other powers.
What events led to the start of ww2 in both Europe and Asia?The major causes of World War II were numerous. They include the impact of the Treaty of Versailles following WWI, the worldwide economic depression, failure of appeasement, the rise of militarism in Germany and Japan, and the failure of the League of Nations.
In what ways did World War II differ from World War I and what were the consequences of these differences?While WWI was fought in the trenches and used machine guns and poisonous gas, WWII was fought using modern artillery and machines utilizing more airplanes, ships, tanks, and submarines. Special operations methods were also developed during this war together with atomic missiles and secret communications.
How did America react to events in Europe and Asia in the early years of ww2?How did Americans react to events in Europe and Asia in the early years of WWII? They were shocked but most Americans wanted to stay isolated from foreign problems. How did the US react to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor? Declared war on Japan and began to mobilize its armed forces and industry to fight.
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In what ways were the origins of World war 2 in Asia and in Europe similar to each other?
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