What is a State?

Definition of State An area organized into a political unit and ruled by an established government that has control over its internal and foreign affairs.

Characteristics of a State: Population Territory (land) Sovereignty Government

Sovereignty… To be sovereign is to have supreme authority within your borders. A sovereign state is not accountable to anyone else.

State or not? United States of America STATE Colorado Mexico Etowah High School Africa Italy STATE Not a STATE STATE Not a STATE Not a STATE STATE

State or not? Korea North/South Not so clear! Both governments are in support of unification but govern independently Not so clear!

State or not? 1 or 2… depends China and Taiwan China and the United Nations do not recognize the government of Taiwan 1 or 2… depends

State or not? Canada STATE Western Sahara Morocco does not recognize claims of independence Polar Regions Polar regions are also subject to multiple, often overlapping claims. STATE STATE? It depends Not a STATE

Development of the State Concept The state concept developed in the Middle East. The first states were territories surrounding cities, or city-states. The largest unified political territory of pre-Industrial times was the Roman Empire. After the fall of the Roman Empire, European states eventually formed around powerful kings. European states diffused the state concept through colonialism beginning in the 1400s, claiming territory for trade and prestige the Western Hemisphere and later Africa and Asia. The European colonial era ended in the Western Hemisphere by 1824. Many African and Asian colonies were held until after World War II. The few colonial possessions that remain are mostly isolated islands.