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The Roman Empire
The Roman Empire kept Europe united for centuries. It relied over a region that today is occupied by more than twenty countries.
The Roman Empire
People used a single currency and had a common language, Latin; there was a single system of laws, the Roman Law.
The Roman Empire
There weren’t any frontiers; men, goods and money circulated freely along the Roman road network.
The Roman Empire
However, historians think that the Roman Empire can’t be considered the origin of modern Europe, because it included many African and Asian regions.
The word “European”
The word “European” appeared for the first time during the battle of Poitiers, in 732 A.D. . The Arabs were ruling Spain, trying to invade France and threatening Istanbul. Charles Martel led the army that defeated the Arabs and blocked their way to Europe.
The word “European”
A reporter of this battle appointed the word “European” in his description of the final fight: “The Europeans, as they left their tents, saw the Arab camps in front of them.”
The Holy Roman Empire
The first attempt to create an European area was Charlemagne’s Holy Roman Empire (800 A.D.), that extended from Spain to the Rhine and the Black Sea.
The Holy Roman Empire
Charlemagne promoted culture with his “Schola Palatina”, a network of educational institutions. Christianity became very important, and the scribes copied a lot of important texts in the monasteries using a new type of writing, the “Minuscola Carolina”.
The Holy Roman Empire
However, when Charlemagne died (814 A.D.) this unified vision dissolved and the European countries suffered from wars and conquests.
UE (European Union)
UE is a supranational and intergovernmental political subject that includes 27 indipendent and democratic countries.
UE (European Union)
The European institutions are:
The European Parliament
The Council of Ministers
The European Commission
The European Council