What Does Inert Mean in Chemistry?

What Does Inert Mean in Chemistry?What does inert mean in chemistry? In the ordinary use of this word, we may think of it as something that stands aside. However, in the correct use of this word, it is something that creates no change in its surroundings and does not produce a reaction with its surroundings.An inert material is one that does not interact with its surroundings. It doesn't attract or repel anything. It can be man made or naturally occurring. This state of affairs can be as simple as a material that is perfectly inert, or it can be more complex. There are a variety of inert materials that are regularly used in various industrial applications such as cement, paint, and concrete.One important thing to remember about an inert material is that it must be inert. It cannot react with something in order to produce a change. A material that does not undergo a reaction with its surroundings cannot be considered inert. You might have seen inert material that has been made into de corative items.A great example is water glass. Water glass is a clear glass that are very hard and durable, but when you look at the top of the glass, you will see some dust. No one is sure why this glass is so hard, but the fact remains that it is hard and durable.This same principle can be applied to other materials. For example, paper, plastic, and paperboard can be thought of as inert. When you cut them, they do not make a lot of noise. The sound that they make when they are cut is normal.Paper and plastic are not as hard as they would seem. They are soft. This is why when you chop up a can of beans, you will often find the beans are fairly easy to chop up. Yet when you cut up the can of beans, you do not hear them breaking apart as much as you would with paper or plastic.Paper and plastic are examples of materials that do not react with their surroundings. However, some materials that are often used in engineering applications are too hard for the human hand to handle. These ma terials are called super alloys. These materials are alloys made from different metals.To get the best of these materials, you need to be able to produce a large number of small alloys. There are two ways that you can do this. First, you can use expensive machinery that makes little alloys. Or, you can work with material that is in very short supply.

Getting Your Community Service Credits

Getting Your Community Service Credits Community Service: Do Whats Important to You Community service used to be something that you could choose to do or choose not to do. It looked good on your college applications but wasn’t mandatory. That sounds like a nice option, right? Well, those days are long gone. Each one of you will have to meet a certain number of community service hours to graduate high school and enter college. Universities don’t want you to think of this as just another task that must be completed but rather a way that you can add to your community doing something that is really important to you. Choosing something that you are passionate about or is of particular interest to your community at large helps the universities you are applying to see how you could add to their community and can be a significant part of entering a college of your choice. Community service for teens can actually be fun if you choose something that you are curious about or have some interest in. You may also find that your personal entrance essay will be easier to write if you have a particular passion that you have some demonstrated experience in. Think about something in your community that you would like to change or something that is missing. It can be a large issue that many people are aware of, or something small that you want to shed some light on. You may also choose to focus on one of your passions or personal interests. Look to your hobbies to find inspiration when choosing exactly where you will spend your free hours. Community Service is Fun Like many things in life, community service can be a lot more fun if you do it with friends. Try getting a group together to volunteer at the same place on the weekend and then make a day of it. Check out some of these cool places that offer volunteer opportunities in Orange County, CA: If you run track and field or have an interest in sports or physical education, think about volunteering at a local race for charity. For example, check out the Orange County Registers Irvine Charity Walks List. Other races this year include the Dino Dash and the Memorial Day Half Don’t worry, you won’t have to run 13.1 miles to volunteer, just cheer on the people who are. Can you think of others? Please share with us on twitter! Cats Dogs If you love cats and dogs (who doesnt?), try getting involved with a local rescue group. Working with animals can be very rewarding and demonstrates care and compassion. Also, you may get to work with kittens and puppies, which means plenty of cute pictures for your Instagram. Below are to options to get you started: ARK located in San Juan Capistrano The Orange County Humane Society located in Huntington Beach Theres Help to Help You Help Maybe you haven’t found your passion yet. That’s absolutely okay because websites like Volunteer Match can help you find a short term commitment and try out a few different things. Searching for the right volunteer activity may end up being a great way to discuss how you found a topic or issue that really makes you want to add to or change. If you’re not sure what really interests you, try a few different things before making a long-term commitment to one cause. Regardless of what you choose, volunteering can be a great way to learn about the world and help you have a well-rounded college application. Add to the life of another and have fun! All blog entries are written by Tutor Nerds. Are you an education professional? If so, email us at info@tutornerds.com for guest blogging and collaborations. We want to make this the best free education resource in SoCal. One last thing, summer doesn’t mean an end to learning. In today’s competitive world of college admissions, it’s crucial students spend the next few months improving and catching up. What better way to do that than with a private summer tutor? We work with student’s schedules so they can still have fun. Teach.com

Teacher inspiration This years winner of the Global Teacher Prize

Teacher inspiration This year’s winner of the Global Teacher Prize “She’s like a hero to me. She really is.” These are the words used by a student at Alperton Community School in Brent, West London in the UK to describe his art and textiles teacher, Andria Zafirakou. Andria is not only a hero to this student, but to all of her students, to her colleagues, and to the community. She’s also the winner of the 2018 Global Teacher Prize. This prestigious $1 million US award is given out annually to a single teacher from anywhere in the world who’s judged to have made the most significant contribution to their profession. Having heard Andria’s story and understanding all she does to make sure every single one of her students reaches their full potential, we’re feeling pretty inspired here at Teach Away. We’re hoping Andria can inspire you, too. Here are some of Andria’s accomplishments at Alperton Community School that helped to define her as this year’s winner: Andria uses her role as an art and textiles teacher to communicate with her students in ways not bound by language and culture. This is imperative to a productive learning environment at Alperton due to the fact that approximately 35 different languages are spoken there and 85% of students speak English as an additional language. In a diverse multicultural neighborhood with poverty, gang activity and domestic violence, Andria goes above and beyond to protect her students. Not only does she personally accompany her students as they board their buses at the end of the day, but she works closely with local police and is acutely aware of any stirrings in her school’s backyard that could be signs of gang presence. She’s established a boxing club to provide students with an opportunity to grow their confidence and self-esteem, while staying healthy and off the streets. Andria leads the professional development charge at Alperton. In addition to constantly improving her own teaching skill set, she’s also taken it upon herself to provide opportunities for her colleagues to improve theirs. As a result, Alperton is one of only ten schools in the UK to earn the Quality Mark Platinum Award. For more on Andria’s incredible involvement at Alperton Community School, check out this video:

Do You Need A Babysitting Service?

Do You Need A Babysitting Service?Lansiing is a small town in Guangdong Province located on the mainland's east coast. In this small and famous area, there are many ways to obtain babysitting services by means of the Lansiing Grandparents Tutoring Program.Lansiing has an established and familiar babysitting service for kids. This program also allows you to learn about the issues of raising a child on your own. Because of this, a lot of people have started to do it by themselves. So, by paying fees for the tutoring program, you can learn more about raising a child on your own and you will be able to become a responsible and competent parent.The tutoring program includes practical experience for the students and it is different from those in other places. They all meet once every week, which is a very rare occurrence, because most parents in other areas do not have time to meet with their children as often as they would like. Instead, they prefer to send their children to babysitters, who can stay over and help their children with their homework or reading.There are many other reasons why the tutoring program has become so popular in the town of Lansing. Some of the factors include the advantages of being a mother and being trained at an educational center. Another advantage is that parents are able to help their children more effectively because they are able to learn the best ways of how to raise a child at home.Being a mom, you know that raising a child alone is hard. You will realize that your skills are great and that you can help your child as much as you can. The program teaches you everything you need to know about raising a child. It will enable you to get ahead in life because you will be able to spend more time with your child and you will be more confident in doing so.Parents can also experience a very interesting and amazing service that was built with the grandparents. During the time you will spend with your grandkids, you will be able to know more about their lives and their life in general. The program provides plenty of fun activities such as playing games and getting up and running. You will also be able to learn about the way your grandkids live and learn all about their school life.However, if you decide that this is not the right choice for you, then it is up to you to get a good babysitter from where you live and make sure you find a great service. Do not hesitate to ask your friends and relatives what they think of the babysitting service and if they have used one. This will give you a better idea of what you should do. By doing so, you will not just make it easy for you but you will also have a good place to go to when you want to have a good babysitting experience.

Chemistry Tutor Baths - Your Student Could Benefit From It

Chemistry Tutor Baths - Your Student Could Benefit From ItMany students who have not had any formal study at all, would be enticed by the idea of having a chemistry tutor bath. This could be one of the many great ways to boost their grades by being with a tutor. By having a chemical subject on hand, which they would need to take notes on, they would be able to think logically about the course material they are required to take.Nowadays, in order to obtain a chemistry qualification, it is absolutely essential to obtain a certificate or degree. However, this does not necessarily mean that a student will automatically qualify for a university degree. For the most part, the school they are applying to must accept that level.The hygiene of these students will also be looked upon as they have to get into a communal shower, thus having to prepare for washing, after class, as well as showering again. Often, they have to use the same equipment to wash up as their fellow students. Therefore, h aving a tutor to clean them up, could also be quite handy, especially for those students who are nervous about sharing showers with their peers.The only down side to the tutoring, is that there will not be enough hours in the day for them to complete the required number of lessons for the day courses. The day courses are usually long and require a lot of work from them, but the tutor bath could easily be able to meet the requirements.In fact, having a tutor's help in your student's bathroom could be rather helpful. This would definitely save the students, time, and money. Although the children's lessons would have to be completed, the tutor could still check off the task as completed for themselves.By having the assistance, they could still be able to turn around, finish all their daily homework, and then set off, just by getting to their destination in the morning. Not only that, but all the other tasks involved in preparing and taking notes could be finished whilst the tutor bath was taking place.A tutor can assist you in taking the course materials to be turned in, the preparation of all the lab papers, all the instructions on how to perform all the lab experiments and then the report can be completed, then submitted. This would be an immense advantage to all of the students. The tutor's help could prove to be very beneficial indeed.

How to Stay Active When You Work A Desk Job (Infographic) - Introvert Whisperer

Introvert Whisperer / How to Stay Active When You Work A Desk Job (Infographic) - Introvert Whisperer How to Stay Active When You Work A Desk Job (Infographic) The Rise of Sedentary Work Research from the University of Edinburgh has revealed that the average office worker now spends more time sitting down than pensioners. In 2019, many office jobs necessitate sedentary behaviour with employees looking at a screen for hours on end every day. Sedentary roles are on the rise, with physically active jobs now making up less than 20% of the workforce. The Dangers of Sedentary Work According to the WHO, physical inactivity is the 4th biggest killer of the modern world. In fact, health experts are now declaring that “sitting is the new smoking”. Medical studies have linked a sedentary lifestyle with a wide range of health issues such as weight gain, general unfitness, depression, diabetes and cardiovascular problems. Getting Exercise at Work: 5 Tips So how can you be more active at work? Here are five great ideas to get you started: One option is to switch your desk with a more physical-demanding alternative such as a treadmill desk, exercise ball, or standing desk? When possible, take the stairs instead of the elevator Rather than emailing a colleague, why not stroll over to their desk and talk to them instead? You could take meetings on the move West Wing Use your lunch breaks as an opportunity to take extra exercise by going for a walk or by going to the gym for a quick workout. Find Out More If your job involves prolonged periods of sitting, then you should certainly take a look at the infographic below from Hussey Fraser Injury Solicitors. This handy guide outlines the dangers of a sedentary work life and also provides some advice on how to incorporate more physical activity into your working day.

5 Fun Summer Ideas for Families to Learn Spanish Together

5 Fun Summer Ideas for Families to Learn Spanish Together Suzy S. Families: looking for creative ways to practice Spanish together now that summer is here? Read on as Sacramento tutor Allison H. shares a few of her fun ideas Summer is here, the warm temperatures and sunshine tempting us outside to pools, concerts, and neighborhood barbecues. With  so many fun things to do, it’s hard to buckle down and learn Spanish  outside your daily activities. But one of the keys to learning a language is practice, practice, and more practice. Whether you are worried about your student suffering summer loss, are gearing up for that vacation in Mexico, or just want some fun Spanish-language activities for the summer, here are a few ways to practice and learn Spanish that  will get  the whole family involved. 1. Listen to a song Music is a window into other cultures and languages, plus it’s good for pronunciation and vocabulary expansion. Listening and singing along to music in another language is wonderful for your pronunciation. Even if you don’t have a clue what the song is about, just singing along will help your mouth start to form the sounds of the language. Listening to music will also get your ears used to the sounds of the language. You’ll be surprised how many words you start picking out once you get started. So pull up YouTube and watch a few music videos from Latin American and Spanish bands. (Here are some great Spanish musicians to start with!) Extra credit: Write down 3-5 words you didn’t know and look them up! Here is one of my favorite tunes: 2. Catch up on the news Listening to the news provides a snapshot of everyday life in the country where it came from. Much like listening to music, listening to the news provides an excellent opportunity for comprehension practice and vocabulary expansion. Each time you listen, select 3-5 words to look up and add to your vocabulary practice. Check out  News in Slow Spanish   not only does it provide a newscast in slow basic Spanish, but it also includes a transcript so you can practice your reading comprehension as well. Extra credit: Discuss what you just heard, in Spanish, with a family member or study buddy! For more ideas check out these three simple steps for adding Spanish to your summer fun! 3. Get cooking Everyone loves to eat, so why not make it an opportunity to practice your Spanish? Visit Allrecipes Mexico  to pick out a delicious recipe, all in Spanish. How much can you understand on your own and how many of the words do you have to look up? Add the words you had to look up to your vocabulary practice. Now prepare and enjoy. Extra credit: Make your kitchen a Spanish-only zone while cooking the meal. Heres a great guide to Spanish cooking vocabulary from FluentU! 4. Put a label on it Make your house the classroom. Label your furniture and appliances in Spanish. The repetition of seeing those labels will help everyone in the family associate the words with the object. This can be helpful for students who struggle with connecting the words in a book to real life. Extra credit: Only refer to labeled objects by their Spanish name! Related Video: Learn How to Describe Family Members in Spanish 5. Take a walk…. with flashcards Now that you have all this new Spanish vocabulary, it’s time to practice it. My personal favorite vocab study technique, backed up by research, is flashcards. Research shows that flashcards help with memorization because they appeal to many learning styles (visual, auditory, and kinesthetic), force active recall (you have to remember the word from scratch without any context to hint at the meaning), and allow for self-directed study (you choose what you need to work on). Walking while you study has also been shown to help with retention, plus it’s more fun than sitting at home. So make up your flashcards and go for a walk. Extra credit: Take a study buddy and quiz each other! Heres a visual recap of these  ideas for practicing Spanish this summer: Readers, what other ways do you practice and learn Spanish with your families?  Let us know in the comments! Post Author: Allison H. Allison H. teaches Spanish in Sacramento, CA. She studied Spanish at Warren Wilson College and Spanish Language at La Universidad de Granada. She has been teaching since 2011. Learn more about Allison here! Photo by  Nestlé Interested in Private Lessons? Search thousands of teachers for local and live, online lessons. Sign up for convenient, affordable private lessons today! Search for Your Teacher

Where to Find A Photography Course In Birmingham

Where to Find A Photography Course In Birmingham Take Photography Classes in Birmingham ChaptersLearn About Your SLR Camera with a Professional PhotographerDevelop Your Photography Skills Through a SocietyAttend Photography Lessons in BirminghamTake Online Photography CoursesAs the second most populous city in England, Birmingham thrums with activity and life. Her diverse population offers infinite possibilities for photographers whose passion is capturing street scenes.Have you been known to  train  your lens on the Bullring? Are you anticipating the upcoming St. Patrick's Day parade?Do you have your kit ready: tripod, lenses, filters and spare batteries for your digital SLR?Do you know how to use every feature of your DSLR camera? Have you progressed beyond the auto setting? Can you read a histogram?In anticipation of St. Paddy's and all of the merriment that occasion brings, let Superprof get you ready to do more than point and shoot.Let us find where, in Birmingham, you can take photography courses!Founded in 2012 by Pete Ashton and Matt Murtagh, the Photo School wa s born out of need.Many of our friends were buying DSLR cameras with lots of functions but had no idea how to use them. - Pete AshtonAdopting Cartier-Bresson's approach to street photography, this duo posted an advert for a one day workshop.If you're a Londoner, our blog on photography courses in the capital may be of interest to you.Somewhat to their surprise, at the appointed time, a bunch of people with cameras turned up at the designated meeting place â€" City Centre Pub. After brief instruction, the duo hit the streets with all of those beginners at photography in tow.The rest, as they say, is photographic history.Their programme has received a few tweaks. Initially, to refine the style of instruction; these days, to update their knowledge base, reflecting advances in technology.You can find Pete Ashton and his merry band of beginners running the streets of Birmingham most every Sunday, but it would be best to book yourself into a group session, in order to benefit from the ins truction he dispenses.You could also host a workshop, with Mr. Ashton as a guest speaker.For businesses, clubs and social gatherings, Peter Ashton will set up shop in your environment and make use of props and photos you make available.The cost for such a venture runs between £150 and £350, depending on how labour intensive your project is for him.What we love about Photo School is that it is so informal.You get enough instruction to understand fundamental features and uses of the camera, and then you are turned loose to challenge your ideas of composition and depth of field.What we like less is that it is limited to street photography.A subject photographs differently in natural light than in studio lighting.While it is great that Photo School students learn to use natural light, we can't help but think that a bit of indoors photography would round out this beginner photography tutorial nicely.Still, as a photography for beginners course, you could do a lot worse than this one da y of instruction.What if you're looking to learn broader photography skills?Learn photography in Edinburgh too, or join a photography class in Belfast.Birmingham abounds with such street scenes for you to capture! Source: PIxabay Credit: Michael GaidaRed Cloud Photography CoursesLearning photography with this group guarantees you a diverse experience: you can start out an absolute beginner, as a photographer with a few tricks up his sleeve, or be more advanced in the art.Less experienced photographers can benefit not only from the instructors' wisdom, but from those who've been on a shoot or two!And, Red Cloud hosts a variety of workshops: in the Botanical gardens, at night...You can even learn portrait photography with a Red Cloud instructor if you don't mind going to Nottingham!In short: decidedly, there is variety to be had with this group.Each instructor is a certified photographer in their own right, who believes that learning photography is a hands-on experience.Therefore, as you stroll around the gardens, digital camera in hand, your tutor will give you tips and ideas on setting your shutter speed to capture sunlight filtering through branches, or how to get a close up of an orchid without getting close to it at all.The skills you learn with Red Cloud photography workshops could help you decide on a photographic specialty.Aspiring commercial photographers, macro photographers, and nature photographers could all benefit from these tutorials.For our Scottish readers, learning about photography classes in Glasgow could be useful.We will discuss these types of photography and more in our next segment.What we love about Red Cloud is the wealth of experience they bring to their tutorials, both by engaging professional photographers to teach photography, and for the longevity and refinement of their programme.What we like less is that their focus is completely on the capturing of images.Their workshops present no information on digital image editing, post proc essing or retouching, if you use a film SLR.A day-long outing costs £125. For that price, you will learn about shutter and aperture speeds, ISO and white balance, and rules of composition.If you are mad for night photography, their evening workshop, in the heart of City Centre, will run you £35.Two hours is all they need in order to show you how to create light trails and other light effects against the backdrop of the night sky.Red Cloud is great for learning the fundamentals of digital photography, or honing your skill, if you are more advanced.Does one need to learn more about photography than ISO settings and shutter speed?Find a photography course in Cardiff!Develop Your Photography Skills Through a SocietyUndoubtedly, learning how to use your camera's settings is the first step to becoming a competent photographer, either for maintaining amateur status or to go pro.To take your skill behind the lens to the next level, you may consider joining a photographic society.Let us su ppose you wish to make a career out of photography, but have only the vaguest idea of the possibilities of the metier.The most lucrative fields of photography include:wedding photographyportrait photography, including babies and petscommercial photographymacro photography â€" food, jewellery, machinery and other tiny parts, including insectsphotojournalismHowever, you may wish to capitalise on your photography skills while indulging a different passion altogether.In that case, you may consider:wildlife photographynature photographylandscape photography, the panoramic version of nature photographytravel photographyaction photography â€" snapping pictures at sports events, for exampleIf you are undecided about where you photography skills could take you, discussing your dreams with other photographers could help you refine your goals.Take a look at our article on photography lessons in Manchester.You would find people of such caliber at your local photography society.Many photographic societies hold competitions Source: Pixabay Credit: Alexa_fotosSmethwick Photographic SocietyEstablished nearly 100 years ago, SPS has become one of the country's largest photographic societies.Their rolls list more than 200 members, of which at least 20 of them are fellows of the Royal Photographic Society!Besides over a century of collective talent, their facility houses a medium-sized studio with a range of lighting systems, a well stocked library â€" sure to be a most valuable resource; digital imaging software of all types, not just Adobe!They even have a darkroom, for those who contend that film is the only true medium of photographic expression.Should your kit be lacking, you can rent lenses, filters and tripods from their concession.Although there is activity at the club house nearly every day, the main meeting is held on Thursday nights, in their comfortably outfitted lecture hall.Individual membership costs £36 per year. If your spouse shares you love of life behind the lens, both of you can join for £58.Students, seniors and unemployed members enjoy a reduction in annual fee.What we love about this society is that it at least touches on every aspect of photography: film versus digital, Adobe versus InDesign â€" and a darkroom to develop and retouch negatives.Learn about photography classes in Leeds.It is really difficult to find anything negative about this organisation but, if truly pressed to, we might aver that there is no overt expression of any type of mentoring programme.And, the syllabus reflects a distinct lack of outings.Supposedly, if you need guidance, help, hands on tutelage or information, you are expected to take your query to the library and figure things out for yourself.That resembles the teaching philosophy many institutes of higher learning embraces... doesn't it?Attend Photography Lessons in BirminghamAlthough the UK does not require formal education to become a professional photographer of any type, we emphasise that obtainin g a degree in photography will advance your career faster than any advert will.Birmingham City University offers a three-year undergraduate course in photography, which covers:Principles, practices and the enterprise of photographyContext of photography and collaborative practiceCritical practice â€" establishing your direction under guidance of your teachersAt some point during your second year, you will be expected to have chosen a specialty, such as studio photography or photojournalism, around which your education, from that point on, will revolve.A further bonus during your second year is an optional work-study module, enabling you to develop professional attributes through apprenticeship.The total cost of this programme is £9,250 per year, plus the cost of materials, books and lodging, if needed.Naturally, you would be expected to bring your own camera and laptop to school, or purchase them after your first lesson.Especially if your computer does not have the power to process RAW files, you may need to upgrade.Besides these expenses, you could participate in field trips: to Berlin, to Paris and other exciting, international locations.If you're not local to Birmingham, why not read about photography in Liverpool?What if you don't have the resources for formal photography training, but still wish to learn the art of photography?Use your smartphone to talk about digital image editing with your online tutor Source: Pixabay Credit GeraltTake Online Photography CoursesAh, the Internet, where you must ask the right question in order to find the answer you seek!Fortunately, as far as online  photography  courses are concerned, that is not too difficult a task.UK Learning College is ready to help you discover your eye for composition and teach you how to frame your shot, pose your subject and meter light â€" all in the comfort of your own home.Earning a photography degree online is not a lonely endeavour; your tutor is ready to help, via email or text message.As an enrolee, you would have access to the student portal where you can find others who are passionate about photography, and have dedicated time to learn all about it!You are not required to have any prior knowledge of photography, take any exam, or show a portfolio to qualify for enrolment in this course; all you need is a sincere desire to learn all about digital photography.The fee for this course is but a fraction of what it would cost to attend university; only £399.The downside to such an online course is that it neglects film photography completely.However, today's fast moving world quite nearly demands the use of cutting edge technology, so perhaps it is fitting that such photography  courses would deliver instruction only over what is needed for professional success.Not on the history of photography or traditional methods of capturing and editing images.If you do wish to learn how to work with film, perhaps engaging a personal tutor would be the best way.Superprof has more than 700 tutors, each one passionate about photography,  all ready to take you under their figurative wing.They will disclose the mystique of black and white, the explosion of colour and the alchemy of transforming ephemeral images into tangible portraits.No matter which direction you decide to take your photography skills, where and how you discover tricks of the trade and with whom you share you love of capturing images, Birmingham has the right outlet for you.Now that you know where to turn for photography basics, we'll look forward to seeing your photography online!Learn about finding photography instruction all over the UK.

10 Important French People Throughout History

10 Important French People Throughout History 10 French People that Changed the World Chapters1.           Joan of Arc (1412-1431)2.           King Louis XIV (1638-1715)3.           Voltaire (1694-1778)4.           Marie Antoinette (1755-1793)5.           Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821)6.           Victor Hugo (1802-1885)7.           Marie Curie (1867-1934)8.           Alfred Dreyfus (1859-1935)9.           Charles de Gaulle (1890-1970)10. Jean Paul Sartre (1905-1980)France is a country with an extraordinary history â€" a history which has been driven by extraordinary people.Making up a large part of Western Europe, with the English Channel to the North, Germany to the East, a Border with Spain and the Mediterranean Sea on its South coast, France has had to become a nation of people willing to defend their country as well as establish its power.Through the defence of the land and the establishment of the empire, France has also become famous for its culture created by its artists, authors and philosophers.Coming across French names is a common occurrence when studying any aspect of history, but who are these people? And what role did they play in the building of France?This is Superprof’s top 10 important French figures. AnnieFrench Teacher 4.89 (9) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors CarolineFrench Teacher 5.00 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LowriFrench Teacher 5.00 (9) £90/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarianneFrench Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ThibautFrench Teacher 5.00 (3) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnnickFrench Teacher 5.00 (6) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DéborahFrench Teacher 5.00 (10) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamyFrench Teacher 5.00 (2) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors1.           Joan of Arc (1412-1431)Joan of Arc is most famous for her contribution to the end of the Hundred Years War when she secured a French victory over the English by reclaiming original French land.Joan of Arc†™s actions in the run-up to this triumph was down to her religious devotion which led her to have holy visions in which she was encouraged to take action by St Michael and St Catherine as she was to be, they said, her country’s saviour.After she had sought an audience with the French heir, Charles, upon the instruction of the saints, Joan led several battles alongside the Dauphin which resulted in France regaining control of its land.In 1429, Charles was crowned the King of France and became Charles VII. Although the French had taken back their own throne, there was still conflict with the English, and Joan was sold to them as a hostage by the Burgundians. She was later charged with counts of witchcraft and heresy and burnt at the stake.2.           King Louis XIV (1638-1715)King Louis XIV of France, also referred to as the Sun King, was crowned King of France at the age of just 4 years old following the death of his father.Cardinal Mazarin, Louis’ chief minister had assisted in the running of the country while Louis was still a child, but after his death in 1661, Louis decided to rule alone as an absolute monarch, believing himself to be ruling directly on God’s behalf.King Louis XIV is perhaps most famous for building the Palace of Versailles and making it a centre of French political and aristocratic life ¦ source: Visualhunt - papposilene3.           Voltaire (1694-1778)Voltaire was an 18th-century French writer whose works are representative of the philosophic and cultural movement of the Enlightenment which took place in Europe in the 1700’s.Voltaire is known for his criticism of Christianity throughout his satirical works as well as his support for the separation of church and state.Throughout his life, Voltaire wrote all manner of literary works, the most notable being Candide (1759), which criticises the unfounded optimism present in religion and the problems around the idea of finding true happiness.During his life, Voltaire spent life in pr ison for his attacks on religion and the government in La Henriade (1723). He also exiled himself to England and the town of Ferney (on the French-Swiss border which is now known as Ferney-Voltaire) to flee more jail time for his writings.Follow the link to read about France's complicated relationship with the UK!4.           Marie Antoinette (1755-1793)Marie Antoinette was born as an Austrian Archduchess in 1755. At age 14, she married the heir to the French throne, Louis-Auguste, who would become King Louis XVI and the last king of France, and Marie Antoinette would be the last queen.At the beginning of her reign as queen of France, Marie Antoinette was highly regarded by citizens of France, however, when she gained a reputation as a symbol of the monarchy’s lavish spending, opinion of her and of the centuries-old institution of the monarchy plummeted.Marie Antoinette is reported to have said “let them eat cake” on hearing that the population had no access to bread at the be ginning of the French Revolution, though there is no evidence for this.The decline in opinion of Marie Antoinette and her husband King Louis XVI was a contributing factor to the French Revolution. AnnieFrench Teacher 4.89 (9) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors CarolineFrench Teacher 5.00 (13) £25/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors LowriFrench Teacher 5.00 (9) £90/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors MarianneFrench Teacher 5.00 (8) £30/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors ThibautFrench Teacher 5.00 (3) £19/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors AnnickFrench Teacher 5.00 (6) £20/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors DéborahFrench Teacher 5.00 (10) £35/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors SamyFrench Teacher 5.00 (2) £60/h1st lesson free!Discover all our tutors5.           Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821)Eventually rising to the position of Emperor of France, Napoleon Bonaparte started out as a member of the French military during the Revo lution.Napoleon is regarded as one of the West’s best military leaders and was the namesake of an array of wars in which he led France at the beginning of the 19th century ¦ source: VisualhuntOne of the most famous parts of Napoleon’s legacy is the Napoleonic Code. This was a new legal code for France which was drafted to replace the complex pre-revolution system. The Napoleonic code detailed everything from the rights of individuals and families to property and the management of colonies.Though unpopular with some, Napoleon’s new code was adopted by several other countries, including those in South America as a template for their own civil codes.6.           Victor Hugo (1802-1885)Victor Hugo was a French writer famous for his poems, novels and plays. He is most famous for his novels The Hunchback of Notre Dame (1831) and Les Misérables (1862), both of which enjoyed a second round of fame when they were transformed into a film and opera respectively.Hugo’s works are regar ded as belonging to the Romantic era, a period in which artists focussed on the poetic side of art and using nature as a springboard for creating meaningful works.The Hunchback of Notre Dame tells the story of a man who is mistreated by the people of the town for the way he looks. This was the first semi-political work which would be followed by many more.Set in 1845, Les Misérables follows the life of a man who was imprisoned for stealing a loaf of bread to feed his niece during a period of hardship. This also contains many messages about the flaws of post-revolutionary French society.7.           Marie Curie (1867-1934)Originally from Poland, Marie Curie was the first woman to be awarded the Nobel Prize and the first to win the award more than once.Curie dedicated her life to researching radioactive materials and is credited with the discovery of radium and polonium, as well as coining the term ‘radioactive’.Curie’s efforts in the fields of physics and chemistry didn’t st op at research. She also worked alongside the government to implement the use of portable x-ray machines on wounded soldiers on the battlefields of the First World War.Curie paid the ultimate price for her services to science. Her exposure to radioactive materials meant that she died at age 66 from aplastic anaemia caused by radiation.8.           Alfred Dreyfus (1859-1935)Alfred Dreyfus was a French artillery officer during the First World War who was convicted of treason in 1894 after being suspected of informing German forces on French artillery.After being stripped of his title as an army officer in public, Dreyfus exclaimed that he was innocent and worthy of serving in the French military.While Dreyfus was serving his sentence of life imprisonment in French Guiana, new evidence came to light that Dreyfus was, in fact, innocent, however, the new findings were covered up until the story was given to the press.Dreyfus’ Jewish faith and the suspicion of anti-Semitism in the Frenc h military brought the debate around the religious freedom of French citizens into the public eye. The popular opinion that Dreyfus was innocent meant that he was given a retrial, however, he was found guilty.With Dreyfus locked up once more, there was another public outcry which led to his release and pardon.Dreyfus was reinstated as an army officer and given significant promotions.French history is fascinating! I learned all about it in my French classes London...9.           Charles de Gaulle (1890-1970)Charles de Gaulle started out as a military leader in the Second World War and later became the President of France.Throughout his military and political career, de Gaulle was at the centre of radical events and changes to the French government as well as the Algerian War of Independence in 1962.As a military officer, de Gaulle was critical of the French government’s approach to the threat of German invasion and fled to London once Paris had been seized, where he formed the Fren ch government in exile as leader of Free France in 1940.Charles de Gaulle has been recognised for his duties with an airport named in his honour ¦ source: Pixabay - 12019Following the liberation of Paris in 1944, de Gaulle returned to Paris with a desire to form a new government, however, when this failed in 1953, he retired. But this was not the end of de Gaulle’s power.He returned to govern France following the independence movement in Algeria (a French colony at the time) in 1958 and was president of France until 1969.10. Jean Paul Sartre (1905-1980)Jean-Paul Sartre was a philosopher and anticolonialist famous for his work on the theory of existentialism.Sartre published a host of plays, essays and political works. The most famous of these include the play No Exit (1944), an existentialist play in which all of the characters are trapped in a room together with no escape.Sartre famously refused the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1964, stating that a writer should not allow thems elves to be turned into an institution.If this article was helpful, why not check out another one on important historical events in France?