The Third Republic of France was a period in the history of the French nation that spanned from 1870 to 1940. It began with the end of Napoleon III's Second Empire and lasted until the fall of France during World War II. During this time, there were numerous changes within society, politics, and government, as well as advances in culture and industry.

France experienced a rise in democracy during this era due to a number of reforms, such as universal male suffrage, which extended voting rights to all men over 21 years old, regardless of their class or wealthy status. This allowed more people to be politically active than ever before. The constitution also established two chambers: one elected by direct vote and another appointed by parliamentarians who had been chosen through indirect elections. These new democratic institutions formed part of what is known today as "laicite" (secularism), where religion would no longer have any influence on state matters or public life. However, Catholicism still remained important among many citizens at this time despite its diminishing role in government affairs.

During this period, a lot of progress was made towards modernizing France, including introducing electricity into homes across Paris and improving transportation systems between major cities throughout Europe via train lines like the Orient Express that connected London with Constantinople (now Istanbul). Additionally, economic growth continued through trade agreements signed with Germany and colonial expansion overseas—particularly into Africa. These expansions helped build up capital reserves for investment projects back home, such as the construction of bridges around Paris, leading up to WWI, when most construction halted abruptly following war mobilization efforts taking precedence instead. Finally, cultural developments saw writers like Emile Zola gain notoriety thanks to his novels written in a naturalistic style, highlighting social injustice; painters like Claude Monet popularized the Impressionism painting technique, now celebrated worldwide.