Which treaty ended the Thirty Years' War and laid groundwork for state sovereignty in Europe?

Which treaty ended the Thirty Years' War and laid groundwork for state sovereignty in Europe?

• A. Peace of Augsburg
• B. Edict of Nantes
• C. Treaty of Westphalia
• D. Treaty of Paris

Answer: (C)

The Treaty of Westphalia, signed in 1648, ended the Thirty Years' War and established the basis for state sovereignty in Europe. It shifted the focus of diplomacy toward recognizing independent, equal states within a European system and affirmed that rulers govern within their own territories without outside interference. This laid the groundwork for the modern concept of the sovereign nation-state and international diplomacy. By contrast, the Peace of Augsburg settled religious disputes earlier but did not end the war, the Edict of Nantes granted faith toleration in France, and the Treaty of Paris refers to other historical conflicts.

The Treaty of Westphalia, signed in 1648, ended the Thirty Years' War and established the basis for state sovereignty in Europe. It shifted the focus of diplomacy toward recognizing independent, equal states within a European system and affirmed that rulers govern within their own territories without outside interference. This laid the groundwork for the modern concept of the sovereign nation-state and international diplomacy. By contrast, the Peace of Augsburg settled religious disputes earlier but did not end the war, the Edict of Nantes granted faith toleration in France, and the Treaty of Paris refers to other historical conflicts.