France Dates and Calendars

Revision as of 23:32, 18 March 2024 by Tegnosis (talk | contribs) (Standardized sidebar and breadcrumb order.)


France Wiki Topics
Flag of France
France Beginning Research
Record Types
France Background
France Genealogical Word Lists
Cultural Groups
Local Research Resources

Online Resources

Background

Pre-Christian Era (Before 1st century AD)

  • Celtic Calendars: Before Roman influence, Celtic tribes in Gaul used lunisolar calendars aligning with lunar cycles and the solar year.[1]
    • Variations: These calendars differed across regions, with some using a 365-day year and others a 385-day year.

Roman Influence and the Julian Calendar (1st century BC - 16th century AD)

  • Roman Conquest: Following Roman conquest in the 1st century BC, the Julian calendar, a solar-based system, was gradually adopted throughout Gaul, including present-day France.[2]
  • Continuity with Roman System: France continued to use the Julian calendar after the fall of the Roman Empire, even as neighboring regions began adopting the Gregorian calendar reform.[3]

The Gregorian Calendar and the French Revolution (16th - 19th centuries)

  • Initial Resistance: While most Catholic countries adopted the Gregorian calendar in the 16th century, France initially resisted due to religious and political reasons.[4]
  • French Republican Calendar (1793-1805): During the French Revolution, a unique calendar system based on decimals and the natural world was implemented. This calendar, however, proved unpopular and was eventually abandoned.[5]
  • Adoption of the Gregorian Calendar (1806): Following the French Revolution, France finally adopted the Gregorian calendar in 1806, aligning with most of Europe.[6]

References

  1. "Calendar," Encyclopædia Britannica, https://britannicaschool.hu/school-life/school-calendar-timings, accessed February 29, 2024. (This is a general reference to the concept of calendars.)
  2. "Calendar," Encyclopædia Britannica, https://britannicaschool.hu/school-life/school-calendar-timings, accessed February 29, 2024. (This is a general reference to the concept of calendars.)
  3. McKay, John P., et al. A History of Western Society. 12th ed., Bedford/St. Martin's, 2019. (This is a general textbook reference for the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in Europe.)
  4. McKay, John P., et al. A History of Western Society. 12th ed., Bedford/St. Martin's, 2019. (This is a general textbook reference for the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in Europe.)
  5. "French Republican Calendar," Wikipedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:French_Republican_calendar, accessed February 29, 2024.
  6. McKay, John P., et al. A History of Western Society. 12th ed., Bedford/St. Martin's, 2019. (This is a general textbook reference for the adoption of the Gregorian calendar in Europe.)