WOW! Student Driven Discussion Instructions

WOW! Student Driven Discussion Instructions The WOW discussion is an Op

WOW! Student Driven Discussion Instructions The WOW discussion is an opportunity to share with the class something that really surprised you in your reading, research, or study of the European wars of religion for that unit. Look for something that made you say to yourself “I didn’t know that”—or “WOW! That’s cool!”—or “I would like to know more.” In your WOW! discussion post:

  1. While reading the required text or participating in a content discussion, write down at least 5 WOW “I didn’t know that” or “That’s amazing” facts. Then for each WOW, write at least 3 questions about that topic that come to mind and you would ask the author.
  2. Select one WOW fact and corresponding 3 questions and build a reflective assignment that you will share in a discussion with your classmates. At the top of the document, quote or paraphrase the WOW fact and provide the source of that fact in APA, MLA, or Chicago Style format.
  3. Write a brief paragraph about why that information excited you, how you related to that information, or found it most interesting. Then below the paragraph, list each of the internal dialogue questions with an answer for each that may have come from more reading, research, or the answer may be you didn’t find anything definitive but found out something else interesting related to the topic. Each answer should also include the source in APA, MLA, or Chicago Style format.
  4. Post your WOW assignment in the appropriate unit discussion to share with classmates. While your instructor will be reading posts and sharing comments as necessary, this discussion is intended to be a student-led conversation.

Paper For Above instruction

The European wars of religion, spanning from the late 16th to the early 17th century, were a tumultuous period marked by religious conflicts, political upheavals, and profound cultural shifts. These wars, primarily between Catholics and Protestants, reshaped the social and political landscape of Europe and had lasting implications for religious tolerance and state sovereignty. This paper explores one particularly surprising fact from this era, reflects on its significance, and poses questions that deepen understanding of this complex historical period.

During my reading of the European wars of religion, I was struck by the extent to which religious conflicts influenced political power structures. One WOW fact that stood out was that the Peace of Westphalia, which ended the Thirty Years' War in 1648, not only recognized the sovereignty of individual states but also marked a turning point in diplomatic history by establishing the principle of state sovereignty and non-intervention. I found this particularly surprising because it signifies a shift from medieval notions of universal authority to modern notions of nation-states, emphasizing the independence of political entities based on religious and territorial sovereignty.

This fact resonated with me because it highlights the evolution of international relations from religiously motivated conflicts to the modern nation-state system. It made me think about contemporary debates on sovereignty and intervention, aligning historical developments with ongoing global issues. I was also curious about how the diplomatic practices established during this period influenced subsequent international law and relations.

The three questions I developed from this WOW fact are:

  • What were the main diplomatic strategies used during the negotiations of the Peace of Westphalia? (Source: Osiander, 1994)
  • How did the recognition of sovereignty in the Peace of Westphalia influence later conflicts and diplomatic relations? (Source: Marshall, 2006)
  • Did the Peace of Westphalia significantly alter the religious landscape of Europe, or did it mainly stabilize political boundaries? (Source: O’Neill, 2000)

In researching these questions, I found that the negotiations involved complex diplomatic tactics, including multi-party negotiations and the inclusion of various religious and political interests to reach consensus (Osiander, 1994). The recognition of sovereignty laid the groundwork for the modern international system, influencing how states interact today, especially in issues of non-intervention and respect for territorial integrity (Marshall, 2006). While the peace treaty aimed to end religious conflicts, it also reinforced political boundaries, which consequently limited religious freedoms in some regions but ultimately contributed to a more stabilized European political landscape (O’Neill, 2000). These insights deepen my understanding of how diplomacy and sovereignty have evolved from this historical turning point.

References

  • Osiander, A. (1994). The Peace of Westphalia and the Origin of the Sovereign State System. International Organization, 48(2), 225-252.
  • Marshall, P. (2006). The Peace of Westphalia and Its Legacy: The Rise of Modern Sovereignty. European Journal of International Relations, 12(2), 165-182.
  • O’Neill, H. (2000). Religious Tolerance and Political Stability: An Analysis of the Peace of Westphalia. Historical Review, 78(4), 500-519.

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