In physics, the Schwinger model, named after Julian Schwinger, is the model describing 1+1D (1 spatial dimension + time) Lorentzian quantum electrodynamics which includes electrons, coupled to photons. The model defines the usual QED Lagrangian over a spacetime with one spatial dimension and one temporal dimension. Where is the U(1) photon field strength, is the gauge covariant derivative, \psi is the fermion spinor, m is the fermion mass and form the two-dimensional representation of the Clifford algebra. This model exhibits confinement of the fermions and as such, is a toy model for QCD. A handwaving argument why this is so is because in two dimensions, classically, the potential between two charged particles goes linearly as r, instead of 1/r in 4 dimensions, 3 spatial, 1 time. This model also exhibits a spontaneous symmetry breaking of the U(1) symmetry due to a chiral condensate due to a pool of instantons. The photon in this model becomes a massive particle at low temperatures. This model can be solved exactly and is used as a toy model for other more complex theories.