Exploring French History

Question: What battle ended the Emperor Napoleon’s rule?

Answer: Fought in July 1815, the Battle of Waterloo saw an Allied victory over the forces of Napoleon, the Emperor of France.

Question: Who was France’s youngest 20th-century president?

Answer: When he became the third president of France in 1974, at 48, Valéry Giscard d’Estaing was the youngest man to govern his country since Napoleon.

Question: Which of these leaders was buried in the Hôtel des Invalides in Paris?

Answer: The Hôtel des Invalides, in Paris, France, is the location of the tomb of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte.

Question: Which of these wars was not fought between France and England?

Answer: In World War I, France and England were allies. The other wars were fought between France and England.

Question: When did the French Revolution take place?

Answer: In 1789 the people of France began the French Revolution. The revolution brought down their king and made France a republic—a country ruled by the people.

Question: Who was the first elected president of France’s Fifth Republic?

Answer: Charles De Gaulle, who had led Free France’s military during World War II, was elected president of the Fifth Republic in 1959. He served for nearly ten years, until 1969.