Gaul

I am a big, beautiful land with green forests and sparkling rivers. My fields are perfect for growing yummy food. A long, long time ago, even before the year 450 BCE, my first friends lived here. They were called the Gauls. They made wonderful swirly art on shiny things. It was so pretty. I loved watching them play and create. I am Gaul, and I was their happy home.

One day, many sleeps later, around the year 58 BCE, new friends came to visit. They came from a sunny place called Rome, and their leader was a man named Julius Caesar. The Romans thought my green hills were very pretty, so they decided to stay. They were amazing builders. Like playing with blocks, they built long, straight roads to travel fast and strong stone bridges to cross my rivers. The Gauls and the Romans shared their snacks and their stories. They became friends and lived together for a very, very long time, almost 500 years. I felt full of happy sounds and busy feet.

After many more years passed, around the year 481 CE, another group of friends came to live with me. They were called the Franks. Over time, everyone started calling me by a new name. Today, you know me as the country of France. The beautiful French language that people speak grew from the Latin language my Roman friends used. When you see an old stone bridge in France or hear someone say ‘Bonjour,’ that’s a little piece of my story. I love sharing my long story with new friends like you.