How did historical globalization and imperialism shape today's world?

This is a huge question, taking on two massive (and interrelated) subjects that absolutely shaped the world we live in today.  Globalization refers to the constant relating and blending of cultures around the world through various means.  Emigration, trade, war, and technology have all sped up the process of globalization, of various cultures accepting and employing things from other, once-distant cultures.  

The result of this massive reorganization has been that people around the world are living within a more global world and culture.  For example, cell phones can be found in every country in the world, as can the internet, and because of this technology, the whole planet is connected and able to share information like never before.  In a sense, cultures are getting more similar, sharing what works and letting go of what doesn't. 

Imperialism, which is a political policy of taking over greater and greater populations and land masses to form an empire, has been a major factor in the globalization of the world.  In short, imperialism--the process of taking over outside cultures through force--has led inevitably to the sharing and blending of culture.  The force of war has caused many cultures to take on outside ideas and practices, thus creating a more globalized world.