British America

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article does not cite any references or sources. (November 2007)
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed.

For American people of British descent, see British American.

British Colonies gained from North America, including those taken from France.

British America consisted of the British Empire in continental North America in the 18th century and 19th century. Formally, the British Colonies in North America were known as "British America" and the "British West Indies" until 1783, and after that, "British North America" and the "British West Indies". The term British North America was first used informally in 1783, but it was uncommon before the Report on the Affairs of British North America (1839), called the Durham Report.

At the start of the American Revolution in 1775, the British Empire included twenty colonies north and east of New Spain (Present day areas of Mexico and the Western United States). East Florida and West Florida were ceded to Spain in the Treaty of Paris (1783) which ended the American Revolution, and then ceded by Spain to the United States in 1819. All but one of the remaining colonies of British North America joined together from 1867 to 1873 forming the Dominion of Canada. Newfoundland joined Canada in 1949.