History
The Treaty of Westphalia's Impact on National Sovereignty
Quick fact
The Peace of Westphalia actually consisted of two treaties signed in the cities of Münster and Osnabrück, and it is often credited with giving birth to the modern nation-state.
Why this is interesting
Think of your country's right to rule itself—where did that idea come from? The answer lies in a peace treaty signed in 1648 that ended a devastating war in Europe.