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Revision as of 17:20, 30 September 2005 editPmanderson (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Pending changes reviewers62,751 edits British North American colonies: Sir Humphrey did not try to settle; he tried and failed to tax the fishermen← Previous edit Revision as of 14:44, 1 October 2005 edit undoRmhermen (talk | contribs)Administrators62,561 editsm Reverted edits by Pmanderson to last version by 154.20.139.198Next edit →
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*] claimed for England by Sir ] in ]; settled unsuccessfully in ]; informal settlements by ]. *] claimed for England by Sir ] in ], settled unsuccessfully; informal settlements by ].
*] founded 1586, abandoned the next year. Second attempt in 1587 disappeared (also called the Lost Colony). *] founded 1586, abandoned the next year. Second attempt in 1587 disappeared (also called the Lost Colony).
*], chartered 1606 *], chartered 1606

Revision as of 14:44, 1 October 2005

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British colonization of the Americas began in the late 16th century. Colonies were established in North, Central and South America and in the Caribbean, and a protectorate was established in Hawaii. The British were one of the most important colonizers of the Americas and their American Empire came to rival the Spanish American colonies in extent.

British North America

See also Colonial America.

The English established colonies along the east coast of North America from Newfoundland as far south as Florida. Initially, the name "Virginia", named after Queen Elizabeth I was applied to the entire coast, including what is now the Canadian Maritimes. Early colonies included St. John's, Newfoundland claimed by Sir Humphrey Gilbert in 1583, the Roanoke Colony founded 1586, and the Jamestown Settlement, Virginia founded in 1607. The Popham Colony, which was founded also in 1607 in present-day Maine, was abandoned after one year. The Cuper's Cove settlement was founded in Newfoundland in 1610. The Plymouth Colony was founded in 1620, and after the 1620s a series of colonies were established along the northeast coast of North America, including the Massachusetts Bay Colony, which was founded in 1632. The early colonies consisted of English farmers and gentlemen as well as some hired foreigners (mainly woodcutters from Poland). See British colonial grants in North America (1621-1639).

A number of English colonies were established under a system of Proprietary Governors who were appointed under mercantile charters to English joint stock companies to found and run settlements.

There was also an early unsuccessful Scottish attempt at a colony at Darién, and the short-lived colonisation of Nova Scotia from 1629 - 1632 also by Scotland.

England also took over the Dutch colony of New Netherland (including the New Amsterdam settlement) which was renamed New York in 1664. With New Netherland the English came to control the former New Sweden which the Dutch had conquered earlier. This became part of Pennsylvania. Britain acquired the French colony of New France and the Spanish colony of Florida in 1763. New France became the Canadas.

In the north the Hudson's Bay Company actively traded for fur with the Indians, and had competed with French 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 which is south of the 49th parallel went to the United States in 1818.

Thirteen of Britain's colonies rebelled, beginning in 1776, primarily over representation, local laws and tax issues, and established the United States of America.

Britain also colonised the west coast of North America, notably the Oregon Country jointly with the United States from 1818 to 1846. The colonies of Vancouver Island, founded in 1849, and New Caledonia, founded in 1846 were later combined and named British Columbia.

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. Quebec (including what is now the southern portion of Ontario) and Nova Scotia (including what is now New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island) had been conquered from the French. The colonies of Prince Edward Island and British Columbia joined over the next six years, and Newfoundland joined in 1949. Rupert's Land and the North-Western Territory were ceded to Canada in 1870. This area now consists of the provinces of Manitoba (admitted after negotiation between Canada and a Métis provisional government in 1870), Saskatchewan, and Alberta, as well as the Northwest Territories, the Yukon Territory, and Nunavut.

British North American colonies

File:British colonies 1763-76.jpg
The British Colonies in North America, 1763-1775

British Caribbean Colonies

In order of settlement or founding:

  • Saint Kitts - The island was settled by Sir Thomas Warner in 1623. The following year the French also settled part of St Kitts. After they massacred the Caribs, the British and French turned on each other and St Kitts changed hands between the two several times before the 1783 Treaty of Paris gave the island to Britain.
  • Barbados - The island was settled in 1625. It became independent in 1966.
  • Nevis - The island was permanently settled in 1628. It became independent in 1983.
  • Bahamas - The islands were settled from 1629. They became independent in 1971.
  • Antigua - The island was settled in 1632. It became independent as Antigua and Barbuda in 1981
  • Barbuda - The island was settled about 1632. It became independent as Antigua and Barbuda in 1981.
  • Montserrat - The island was settled in 1632. It was occupied by the French in 1664-68 and 1782-84. It remains a British territory.
  • Anguilla - The island was settled in 1650. Its government was united with St. Christopher from 1882 until 1967, when it declared its separation. It was brought back under British administration in 1969. It remains a British territory.
  • Jamaica - The island was conquered from Spain in 1655. It became independent in 1962.
  • British Virgin Islands - The islands were settled from 1666. They remain a British territory.
  • Turks and Caicos Islands - The islands were first permanently settled in the 1750s. They remain a British territory.
  • Dominica - The island was captured from the French in 1761. The French occupied it again from 1778 to 1783. Dominica became independent in 1978.
  • Trinidad and Tobago - The island of Tobago was captured in 1762. The island of Trinidad was captured from the Spanish in 1797. The two governments were joined in 1888. They became independent in 1962.
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines - Saint Vincent was colonized in 1762. France captured it in 1779 but returned it to Britain in 1783. The islands were formerly part of the British colony of the Windward Islands from 1871 to 1958. The nation gained full independence in 1979.
  • Grenada - The island was conquered from France in 1762. The French reoccupied it from 1779 to 1783. It became independent in 1974.
  • Saint Lucia - The island was captured from the French in 1778, but returned to them in 1783. In 1796 and in 1803 it was captured again, to be permanently annexed by Britain in 1814. St Lucia became independent in 1979.
  • Cayman Islands - The islands were acquired from Spain in 1870. It remains a British territory.

British Central and South American Colonies

See also

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