Python is a programming language that lets you work quickly and integrate systems more effectively. Python was designed by Guido van Rossum in 1989. Python is a powerful general-purpose programming language that handles most operations (such as: automatic memory management; strongly and dynamically typing; and generators and list comprehensions).

Python is an easy-to-use language that makes it simple to get your program working. This makes Python ideal for prototype development and other ad-hoc programming tasks. Python has an interactive mode to make it easy to test short snippets of code [1]. This saves time and headaches, especially for beginners. A complicated program in C/C++ can often be expressed in just a few lines in Python.

Python is a high-level, interpreted, interactive and object-oriented scripting language. Python is designed to be highly readable. It uses English keywords frequently where as other languages use punctuation, and it has fewer syntactical constructions than other languages. [2]

Python is Interpreted − Python is processed at runtime by the interpreter. You do not need to compile your program before executing it.
Python is Interactive − You can actually sit at a Python prompt and interact with the interpreter directly to write your programs.
Python is Object-Oriented − Python supports Object-Oriented style or technique of programming that encapsulates code within objects.
Python is a Beginner's Language − Python is a great language for the beginner-level programmers and supports the development of a wide range of applications from simple text processing to WWW browsers to games.

Python 3 vs Python 2

Developers have a choice to make when they start Python: whether to use the more established Python 2 or the newer Python 3. Though many changes between Python 2 and Python 3 seem minor, the languages are not cross compatible. I.e. Python 2 code will not (always) run in Python 3, and Python 3 code will not run in Python 2.

The M&S program and classes (and subsequently these bootcamps) teach Python 3.

Python 3 fixes many of the odd quirks in the language. Python 3 is the future of Python, there will only be minor bug fixes to Python 2 and no new versions developed.

More on the topic can be found here: Should I use Python 2 or Python 3 for my development activity?