British colonization of the Americas

The English established colonies along the east coast of North America from Newfoundland as far south as Georgia, and on islands in the Caribbean. Important early colonies included Jamestown, Virginia founded in 1607 (the first successful English colony in North America), the Plymouth Colony founded in 1620, and the Massachusetts Bay Colony. There was also an early unsuccessful Scottish attempt at a colony at Darien, and the colonisation of Nova Scotia is also associated with Scotland.

England also took over the Dutch colony of New Amsterdam, which was renamed New York in 1664. 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's Bay called Rupert's Land. The Hudson's Bay drainage below the 49th parallel went to the United States. Britain also colonized the west coast of North America with British Columbia, founded in 1843. The colonies of British Columbia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and later Newfoundland along with Rupert's Land and the conquered French colonies of Nova Scotia and Quebec, would combine to make up modern Canada.

See also: European colonization of the Americas