The first few days of class, I remember talking about the importance of a nation-state. Everyone has identified it as a country governed by a single government, but what exactly is a nation-state? It was decided that to understand its meaning, we would dissect the word; a nation was not identified as a physical identity but rather how individuals identify themselves, which can be interpreted as how you feel about yourself. A state has been defined as the physical features, such as the borders of a territory, it also constitutes human resources and government agencies. So, a nation-state is both the identity of individuals and the physical aspects mentioned above. Historically, a nation-state has been an autonomous, self-interested territory created by political, social, and national values. With the end of the Thirty Years' War, the Peace of Westphalia came into being. This treaty was signed in 1648, which established the sovereignty of nation states and gave them the ability to levy taxes, form national governments, and protect their sovereignty without violating others (Ray and Kaarbo 28). However, as economic markets and nation-state businesses began to blur national boundaries, technological advancements and the creation of organizations in response to international emergencies; historical interpretation has had to evolve and mutate in order to adapt to today's globalized period. First, the nation-state evolved with the aspect of global market and economic interdependence. Exports and imports have always been a powerful element that unites the global economy. When the Western Hemisphere was discovered, European nations began to export their natural resources and goods. However, over time, this ...... middle of paper ...... government to govern its people. Thus, although the historical concept of the nation-state is not diminishing, it is evolving through transnationalism and globalization generated by nation-state economic markets and businesses that cross national borders, technological advancements and creation of non-governmental organizations and intergovernmental organizations. In today's society the world is truly interdependent, each nation state has become an important part of the global systems analysis model and with the absence of one part it is unable to function properly. Works Cited “The Face of Egypt’s Social Media Revolution.” Latest news headlines: business, entertainment and world news. CBS News. October 24, 2011. Ray, James L. World Politics. Ninth ed. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2007.