British colonization of the Americas From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (Redirected from British colonisation of the Americas) European colonization of the Americas First colonization British Couronian Danish Dutch French German Hospitaller Italian Norse Portuguese Russian Scottish Spanish Swedish Colonization of Canada Colonization of the U.S. Decolonization v t e British colonization of the Americas (including colonization by both the Kingdom of England and the Kingdom of Scotland before the Acts of Union, which created the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707) began in 1607 in Jamestown, Virginia and r eached its peak when colonies had been established throughout the Americas. The English, and later the British, were among the most important colonizers of the Americas, and their American empire came to rival the Spanish American colonies in military and economic might. Three types of colonies existed in the British Empire in America during the heig ht of its power in the eighteenth century. These were charter colonies, propriet ary colonies and royal colonies. After the end of the Napoleonic Wars (18031815), British territories in the Americas were slowly granted more responsible govern ment. In 1838 the Durham Report recommended full responsible government for Cana da but this did not get fully implemented for another decade. Eventually with th e Confederation of Canada, the Canadian colonies were granted a significant amou nt of autonomy and became a self-governing Dominion in 1867. Other colonies in t he rest of the Americas followed at a much slower pace. In this way, two countri es in North America, ten in the Caribbean, and one in South America have receive d their independence from the United Kingdom. All of these are members of the Co mmonwealth of Nations and nine are Commonwealth realms. The eight remaining Brit ish overseas territories in the Americas have varying degrees of self-government . Britain in the Americas Contents [hide] 1 North America 1.1 Pre-British colonization of North America 1.1.1 English colonies in North America 1.1.2 Scottish colonies in North America 1.2 British colonies in North America 1.2.1 List of English and British colonies in North America 1.2.2 Non-colonial British territories in North America 2 Central and South America, Caribbean 2.1 English and later British Caribbean colonies 2.2 English and later British Central and South American colonies 3 See also 4 References 5 External links North America[edit] Main articles: Colonial history of the United States and History of Canada Pre-British colonization of North America[edit] English colonies in North America[edit] Main articles: English overseas possessions and English colonial grants in North America (16211639) Plaque in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, commemorating Gilbert's foundin g of the British overseas Empire A number of English colonies were established under a system of Proprietary Gove rnors, who were appointed under mercantile charters to English joint stock compa nies to found and run settlements, most notably the Virginia Company, which crea ted the first successful English settlement at Jamestown and the second at St. G eorge's, Bermuda. In 1664, England also took over the Dutch colony of New Netherland, (including t he New Amsterdam settlement), which England renamed the Province of New York. Wi th New Netherland, the English also came to control the former New Sweden (in wh at is now Delaware), which the Dutch had conquered earlier. This later became pa rt of Pennsylvania after it was established in 1680. Scottish colonies in North America[edit] Main article: Scottish colonization of the Americas There was also an early unsuccessful attempt by the Kingdom of Scotland to estab lish a colony at Darién, and the short-lived Scottish colonisation of Nova Scotia (New Scotland) from 1629 to 1632. Thousands of Scotsmen also participated in the English colonisation even before the two countries were united in 1708. British colonies in North America[edit] See also: British America, British North America and Thirteen Colonies The Kingdom of Great Britain acquired the French colony of Acadia in 1713 and th en Canada and the Spanish colony of Florida in 1763. After being renamed the Pro vince of Quebec, the former French Canada was divided in two Provinces, the Cana das, consisting of the old settled country of Lower Canada (today Quebec) and th e newly settled Upper Canada (today Ontario). In the north, the Hudson's Bay Company actively traded for fur with the indigeno us peoples, and had competed with French, Aboriginal, and Metis fur traders. The company came to control the entire drainage basin of Hudson Bay called Rupert's Land. The small part of the Hudson Bay drainage south of the 49th parallel went to the United States in the Anglo-American Convention of 1818. Thirteen of Great Britain's colonies rebelled with the American Revolutionary Wa r, beginning in 1775, primarily over representation, local laws and tax issues, and established the United States of America, which was recognised international ly with the signing of the Treaty of Paris on 3 September of that year (1783). Great Britain also colonised the west coast of North America, indirectly via the Hudson's Bay Company licenses west of the Rocky Mountains, the Columbia Distric t and New Caledonia fur district, most of which were jointly claimed as the Oreg on Country by the United States from 1818 until the 49th parallel was establishe d as the international boundary west of the Rockies by the Oregon Treaty of 1846 . The Colony of Vancouver Island, founded in 1849, and the Colony of British Col umbia, founded in 1858, were combined in 1866 with the name Colony of British Co lumbia until joining Confederation in 1871. British Columbia also was expanded w ith the inclusion of the Stikine Territory in 1863, and upon joining Confederati on with the addition of the Peace River Block, formerly part of Rupert's Land. In 1867, the colonies of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the Province of Canada (the southern portion of modern-day Ontario and Quebec) combined to form a self- governing dominion, named Canada, within the British Empire (the term "kingdom" was avoided so as to not provoke the United States). Quebec (including what is n ow the southern portion of Ontario) and Nova Scotia (including what is now New B runswick and Prince Edward Island) had been ceded to Britain by the French. The colonies of Prince Edward Island and British Columbia joined over the next six y ears, and Newfoundland joined in 1949. Rupert's Land and the North-Western Terri tory were ceded to Canada in 1870. This area now consists of the provinces of Ma nitoba (admitted after negotiation between Canada and a Métis provisional governme nt in 1870), Saskatchewan, and Alberta (both created in 1905), as well as the No rthwest Territories, the Yukon Territory (created 1898, following the start of t he Klondike Gold Rush), and Nunavut (created in 1999). List of English and British colonies in North America[edit] The British Colonies in North America, 17631775 Roanoke Colony, founded 1586, abandoned the next year. Second attempt in 1587 di sappeared (also called the Lost Colony). Cuttyhunk Island, Bartholomew Gosnold established a small fort and trading post in 1602, abandoned after one month Virginia Company, chartered 1606 and became the Virginia Colony in 1624 London Company Jamestown, Virginia, founded 1607, briefly abandoned in 1610. Bermuda, these islands, located in the North Atlantic, were first settled in 160 9 by the London Virginia Company; Administration passed to The Somers Isles Comp any, formed by the same shareholders, in 1615. Also known officially as The Some rs Isles, they remain a British overseas territory. Citie of Henricopolis, founded in 1611 as an alternative to the swampy Jamestown site and was destroyed in the Indian massacre of 1622. Plymouth Company Popham Colony, founded 1607, abandoned 1608 Society of Merchant Venturers (Newfoundland) Cuper's Cove, founded 1610, abandoned in the 1620s Bristol's Hope, founded 1618, abandoned in the 1630s London and Bristol Company (Newfoundland) The massacre of Jamestown settlers in 1622. Soon the colonists in the South fear ed all natives as enemies. New Cambriol, founded 1617, abandoned before 1637. Renews, founded 1615, (abandoned in 1619[1]) St. John's, Newfoundland, chartered by Sir Humphrey Gilbert in 1583; seasonal se ttlements ca. 1520;[2] informal year-round settlers before 1620.[3][4] Plymouth Council for New England Plymouth Colony, founded 1620, merged with Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1691 Ferryland, Newfoundland granted to George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore in 1620, first settlers in August 1621[5] Province of Maine, granted 1622, sold to Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1677 South Falkland, Newfoundland, founded 1623 by Henry Cary, 1st Viscount Falkland Province of New Hampshire, later New Hampshire settled in 1623, see also New Ham pshire Grants Dorchester Company Colony, (Dorchester Company planted an unsuccessful fishing c olony on Cape Ann at modern Gloucester, Massachusetts in 1624) Salem Colony, later Salem, Massachusetts, settled in 1628, merged with Massachus etts Bay Colony the next year Massachusetts Bay Colony, later part of Massachusetts, founded 1629 New Scotland, in present Nova Scotia, 16291632 Connecticut Colony, later part of Connecticut founded 1633 Province of Maryland, later Maryland, founded in 1634 The Treaty of William Penn with the Indians. Penn's Treaty was never violated. New Albion, chartered in 1634, failed by 164950, not to be confused with Nova Alb ion on the Pacific coast (see next section) Saybrook Colony, founded 1635, merged with Connecticut in 1644 Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, first settled in 1636 New Haven Colony, founded 1638, merged with Connecticut in 1665 Gardiners Island, founded 1639, now part of East Hampton, New York Province of New York, captured 1664 Province of New Jersey, captured in 1664 divided into West Jersey and East Jersey after 1674, each held by its own compan y of Proprietors.