Two years before the event just referred to, Columbus had discovered America, and this greatly increased the territorial area of the application of the international law. The history of international law had formerly been exclusively confined to the continent of Europe, but the opening of the New World by European colonists extended the scope of these principles over this territory. Many of the wars of this period originated or were closely concerned with the possession of territory in America.

Section 17. The Congress of Westphalia. An important impetus was given to the development of the science of international law by the work of the Congress of Westphalia, which succeeded in bringing the destructive Thirty Year War to a close in 1648. In addition to their work in this respect, the status of the various countries of Europe was largely regulated, and a definite system was adopted for the conduct of diplomatic relations. From this time on, the various large international congresses have been one of the most important sources from which the principles of international law have been drawn.2