This two-volume textbook teaches about the uniqueness and the difficulty of the European unification project. It describes, as clearly as possible, what Robert Schuman declared in 1950, that "... Europe will not be made all at once?". Navigating the nexus of four academic fields - political science, institutional analysis, economics, and history - the book serves as a reference work for accurate, exhaustive, and well-researched information on the creation and functioning of the European Union. 

Supported by numerous photographs, diagrams, maps, and sources, volume 1 sets out in a concise and readable way the European historical origins, the important steps in the creation of the European Union, and the treaties and historical events that have marked its course so far. Providing a comprehensive picture of the unification process and the functioning of this sui generis edifice of a united Europe, the book will serve as an essential textbook for undergraduate and graduate students studying the subject of European integration, as well as a useful resource for a broader audience interested in the European integration process.