So how do you become a nation? Well, some argue it's an organic process involving culturally similar people wanting to formalize their connections. Others argue that nationalism is constructed by governments, building a sense of patriotism through compulsory military service and statues of national heroes. Public education is often seen as part of this nationalizing project. Schools and textbooks allow countries to share their nationalizing narratives. Which is why the once and possibly future independent nation of Texas issues textbooks literally whitewashing early American history. Still, other historians argue that nationalism was an outgrowth of urbanization and industrialization since new urbanites were the most likely people to want to see themselves as part of a nation.