Since the 16th century, the history of France, like that of its former imperial territories, has been marked by colonisation and its effects: the first trading posts, the slave trade, slavery, the conquest of Algeria, Indochina and Black Africa, relations between the Republic and its colonies, independence, creation of DOM-TOMs (Overseas Départements and Territories), the post-colonial heritage, the necessary work of remembering and recording... At a time when the colonial past is coming back to haunt us, this book provides the elements for understanding these four centuries of history and offers an overall view of a major process that affected all the continents and deeply marked both the colonised societies and French society.