Common Era explained to kids

Common Era (CE) is the name given to the period of time that follows the Fall of the Western Roman Empire. This period is also known as the Anno Domini (AD) era. The Common Era began on October 23, 476 AD, when the last Roman emperor was overthrown. The Common Era is used in many countries around the world as the primary way to count years. The Common Era is not the same as the Christian Era, which began on January 1, 1 AD. The Common Era is a secular way to count years that does not include any reference to Jesus Christ. The Common Era is used by people of many different religions, including Christians, Jews, Muslims, and Hindus. The Common Era is sometimes abbreviated as "CE." The "C" stands for "Common," and the "E" stands for "Era." The Common Era is also sometimes abbreviated as "AD." The "A" stands for "Anno," which is a Latin word that means "year." The "D" stands for "Domini," which is another Latin word that means "of the Lord."