State formation in the context of "Nation-building"

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⭐ Core Definition: State formation

State formation is the process of the development of a centralized government structure in a situation in which one did not exist. State formation has been a study of many disciplines of the social sciences for a number of years, so much so that Jonathan Haas writes, "One of the favorite pastimes of social scientists over the course of the past century has been to theorize about the evolution of the world's great civilizations."

The study of state formation is divided generally into the study of ancient state formation (those that developed in stateless societies), medieval or early modern state formation, and the study of modern state formation (particularly of the form that developed in Europe in the 17th century and spread around the world). State formation can include state-building and nation-building.

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State formation in the context of Naqada III

Naqada III is the last archaeological phase of the Naqada culture of ancient Egyptian prehistory. Depending on the sources, it is dated to approximately from 3325 to 3000 BC, from c. 3350 BC to c. 2920 BC, or from 3200 to 3000 BC. The period corresponds to Flinders Petrie's "Sequence Dates" SD 63–76.

It is the period during which the process of state formation, which began in Naqada II, became highly visible, with named kings heading powerful polities. Naqada III is often described as the Protodynastic Period of Egypt, and the later part of Naqada III is usually associated with Dynasty 0 to reflect the presence of kings at the head of influential states, although, in fact, the kings involved would not have been a part of a dynasty. In this period, those kings' names were inscribed in the form of serekhs on a variety of surfaces including pottery and tombs. The period was characterized by constant conflict with the people of the Nile Delta, probably for the control of valuable trade routes with the Levant.

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State formation in the context of Boleslaus I, Duke of Bohemia

Boleslaus I (Czech: Boleslav I. Ukrutný; 915–972), a member of the Přemyslid dynasty, was ruler (kníže, "prince") of the Duchy of Bohemia from 935 until his death in 972. He is notorious for the murder of his elder brother Wenceslaus I, through which he became duke. As duke, his decisions surrounding his dynasty led to the Roman Catholic conversion of Poland, which in turn led to the recognition of the Polish state by the papacy. This recognition helped to define medieval Poland as one of the first modern states.

Boleslaus I is generally respected by Czech historians as an energetic ruler who significantly strengthened the Bohemian state and expanded its territory. This perspective is fairly modern, as Boleslaus was often overshadowed by his brother Wenceslaus in terms of historical legacy. Certain medieval historians, notably Cosmas of Prague, overtly present Boleslaus as a cruel figure, particularly after the death of his brother. Over time, this perspective has evolved as modern historians have acknowledged his accomplishments as Duke through a more historically objective lens.

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State formation in the context of Archaeological ruins of Liangzhu City

The archaeological ruins of Liangzhu City, or simply the Liangzhu site, are a cluster of Neolithic sites located in the Liangzhu Subdistrict and Pingyao Town of Yuhang, Hangzhou, China. Initially excavated by Shi Xingeng in 1936, the ruins were recognised to belong to a previously unknown civilisation, termed Liangzhu culture, in 1959. The site was confirmed as an ancient city after the discovery of its city walls in 2006.

Situated in the southwestern part of the Liangzhu cultural area, this city is thought to have been the political and spiritual centre of Liangzhu culture, exemplifying a prehistoric, rice-cultivating urban society of an early state in the Yangtze River basin. The site includes a walled city with palatial complexes, ceremonial areas, and an intricate hydraulic system, indicative of a highly developed society with centralised governance. The hydraulic system of Liangzhu is by far the earliest known one in the world. Existing from approximately 3300 to 2300 BCE, the city was ultimately abandoned, and the civilisation collapsed due to extensive flooding linked to climate change.

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State formation in the context of House of Knýtlinga

The Danish House of Knýtlinga (English: "House of Cnut's Descendants") was a ruling royal house in Middle Age Scandinavia and England. Its most famous king was Cnut the Great, who gave his name to this dynasty. Other notable members were Cnut's father Sweyn Forkbeard, grandfather Harald Bluetooth, and sons Harthacnut, Harold Harefoot, and Svein Knutsson. It has also been called the House of Canute, the House of Denmark, the House of Gorm, or the Jelling dynasty.

Under Harald Bluetooth's rule, he is said on a Jelling rune stone to have unified the territory that comprises modern-day Denmark under his rule, as well as Norway. The latter claim is more tenuous, as he most likely only had periodic and indirect power over parts of modern-day Norway. Under the House of Knýtlinga, early state formation in Denmark occurred.

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State formation in the context of Kamarupa

Kamarupa (/ˈkɑːməˌrpə/; also called Pragjyotisha or Pragjyotisha-Kamarupa), an early state during the Classical period on the Indian subcontinent, was (along with Davaka) the first historical kingdom of Assam. The Kamrupa word first appeared in the Samudragupta Allahabad Edict before that there is no mention of existence of this word.

Though Kamarupa prevailed from 350 to 1140 CE, Davaka was absorbed by Kamarupa in the 5th century CE. Ruled by three dynasties from their capitals in present-day Guwahati, North Guwahati and Tezpur, Kamarupa at its height covered the entire Brahmaputra Valley, parts of North Bengal, Bhutan and northern part of Bangladesh, and at times portions of what is now West Bengal, Bihar and Sylhet.

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