Today we reviewed the origins of European Imperialism. European imperialism refers to the process of European nations building overseas empires outside of Europe. This process began with the first voyage of Columbus in 1492 and ended in the middle of the 20th century with the process of decolonization. Imperialism was a major factor in European and world history for about five centuries and still influences world culture to this day. Many of the nations that exist in the world today, including the United States of America, were once former European colonies. We discussed when competition and rivalries can be positively motivating to when they can become detrimental. During our 2nd session later today we will observe imperialism's impact on Africa after the Berlin Conference. We will also look at America's role in the Age of Imperialism.