You may narrow or broaden your discussion as you see fit. Keep in mind that, as always, one of the purposes is to bring to light the methodological and interpretive issues arising from the use of source documents. The Peace of Westphalia, 1648 Sample questions for consideration might be: Why are we forever being told that the world of International Relations changed in 1648? Did it? Do we see the significance of the Peace of Westphalia differently from contemporaries? If so, whose opinion should we value more, ours or theirs? And, how much value is there in analysing treaties? References Apart from Derek Croxton, Peacemaking in Early Modern Europe: Cardinal Mazarin and the Congress of Westphalia (1999), which may be useful, there are no specific readings listed because in your case you will be focusing on a specific source. The general bibliography on the war may help, and you can probably find a sweeping statement about modernity in any political science text.