Using Euros as Money!

Just like in the US, when you want to buy something in France, you have to use money.  However, while Americans use dollars, the French use the Euro.

Most countries in Europe use the Euro.

This means that when you cross borders in Europe you can use the same money with exchanging it.  If you went to France, you would have to take dollars and use them to buy Euros.  This is expensive and inconvenient--especially if you live near the border like us marmots.

Before the Euro, the French used francs, the Germans used marks and the Italians used lira.  So if you had to calculate what something costs, you had to do a lot of math.

Using the Euro makes things simpler, but also harder for some people.  Europeans differ on what the value of the Euro should be.  This sometimes leads to big problems.

But for Americans, the Euro is GREAT!

Right now, the Euro is worth $1.35, but it changes every day.  Have your teacher help you find out how much a bicycle would cost in Euros.  Or track how much the Euro is worth in dollars every day for a month.

Having money you can use in most places in Europe is very handy and most people has made Europe more peaceful and prosperous.