# British America > former British territories in North America **Wikidata**: [Q258532](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q258532) **Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_America) **Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/british-america ## Summary British America refers to the former British territories in North America, spanning from the first permanent settlement at Jamestown in 1607 until the dissolution of most of these territories in 1783 following the American Revolutionary War. It was a collection of crown colonies and dependent territories under the sovereignty of the British Empire, with its administrative capital in London. ## Key Facts * **Entity Type:** Former administrative territorial entity, crown colony, and dependent territory. * **Time Period:** Inception in 1607; dissolved, abolished, or demolished in 1783. * **Geographic Scope:** Located on the continent of North America. * **Sovereign State:** Part of the British Empire. * **Administrative Capital:** London. * **Official Language:** English. * **State Religion:** Church of England. * **Currency:** Pound sterling. * **Anthem:** "God Save the King." * **Historical Predecessor:** Replaced English overseas possessions in North America in 1707. * **Historical Successor:** Largely replaced by the entity "British North America" in 1783. * **Parent Context:** A facet of the broader British colonization of the Americas. * **Documentation:** Known by multiple aliases including "America britanica," "イギリス領アメリカ," and "英属美洲"; has a locator map image and specific historical flag and coat of arms imagery. * **Modern Recognition:** Has a dedicated Commons category and Wikipedia articles in over 35 languages. ## FAQs **What was British America?** British America was the collective term for the colonies and territories in North America that were under the control of the British Empire from the early 17th century until the late 18th century. It was not a single unified country but a collection of separate administrative units, including the Thirteen Colonies that became the United States and territories that later formed parts of Canada. **How was British America governed?** As a set of crown colonies and dependent territories, British America was governed from London by the British government and monarch. It lacked full political independence as a sovereign state, with its laws and administration ultimately subject to approval in the British Parliament. **What was the timeline of British America?** The period of British America began with the founding of Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607. A key transition occurred in 1707 when the Kingdom of England and Kingdom of Scotland united to form the Kingdom of Great Britain, formally replacing the earlier "English overseas possession" designation. The entity effectively ended in 1783 with the Treaty of Paris, which recognized the independence of the United States and reorganized remaining British holdings. **What were the cultural and religious foundations of British America?** The official language was English, and the established church was the Church of England (Anglican). These elements, along with British common law and parliamentary governance models, formed the core cultural and institutional framework exported to the colonies and left a lasting legacy on the United States and Canada. **What symbols represented British America?** British America used the symbols of the Kingdom of Great Britain, including the anthem "God Save the King," the Red Ensign of Great Britain with a square canton, and the royal coat of arms of the British monarch. These symbols were superseded after 1783 in the newly independent United States. ## Why It Matters British America is a foundational concept for understanding the historical development of the United States and Canada. Its establishment marked the peak of British colonial expansion in North America, setting the stage for the geopolitical, linguistic, and legal landscape of the continent. The conflicts and resolutions arising from its governance, particularly the American Revolution, directly created the United States and defined the border between the U.S. and British North America (now Canada). The colonial experience shaped enduring societal structures, land ownership patterns, and relations with Indigenous peoples that continue to influence North American society, law, and politics. ## Notable For * **First Permanent English Settlement:** Hosting Jamestown, founded in 1607, the first enduring English colony in North America. * **Thirteen Colonies:** Encompassing the original thirteen colonies that declared independence and formed the United States of America. * **British Common Law:** Establishing the common law legal tradition as a cornerstone in its colonies, which persists in the U.S. and Canada. * **Anglican Establishment:** Formally establishing the Church of England as the state church in multiple colonies. * **Transition Point:** Representing the specific historical phase of North American colonization under the unified Kingdom of Great Britain (post-1707). * **Treaty of Paris 1783:** Being the entity whose loss was formally recognized by Great Britain in the treaty that ended the American Revolutionary War. ## Body ### Historical Context and Definition British America was the collective designation for the overseas colonies and dependent territories controlled by the Kingdom of England (until 1707) and subsequently the Kingdom of Great Britain (1707-1800) on the North American continent. It is a specific historical term for the period following the Acts of Union 1707, which created the Kingdom of Great Britain. The entity's inception is marked by the founding of Jamestown, Virginia, in 1607, though its formal conceptualization as "British" (rather than English) America dates from 1707. It was a constituent part of the wider phenomenon of British colonization of the Americas. ### Governance and Political Status British America was not a single political entity but a collection of individual colonies with varying charters and governments. Universally, they shared the status of **crown colonies** and **dependent territories**, meaning they did not possess full political independence as sovereign states. Ultimate authority rested with the British government in **London**. The **country** to which they belonged was the **British Empire**. This political structure placed them within the **facet_of** the broader imperial project. ### Geographic and Temporal Scope The **continent** of all territories was **North America**. The entity's geographic reach included the Atlantic seaboard from Georgia to Newfoundland, as well as territories in the Caribbean and around Hudson Bay. Its historical boundaries are defined by two key dates: an **inception** of **1607** and a **dissolved, abolished or demolished_date** of **1783**. The year 1783 is critical, as it marks the effective end of British rule over the Thirteen Colonies following the American Revolutionary War. The **replaced_by** relationship points to **British North America**, the term for the remaining continental colonies (primarily in modern Canada) after 1783. The **replaces** relationship indicates it succeeded the **English overseas possession** in North America at the **point_in_time** of **1707**. ### Cultural and Institutional Framework The **official_language** was **English**. The **religion_or_worldview** was the **Church of England**, which was the established church in several colonies, including Virginia. The **currency** in use was the **pound sterling**. The **anthem** was "**God Save the King**," the royal anthem of the British monarch. These elements formed a cohesive imperial culture imposed upon diverse colonial societies. ### Symbols and Representation British America was visually represented by the symbols of the Kingdom of Great Britain. The primary **flag_image** was the **Flag of Great Britain (1707–1800)**, also known as the Union Flag. The **Red Ensign of Great Britain (1707–1800, square canton)** was the civil ensign used by merchant ships. The **coat_of_arms_image** was the **Coat of arms of Great Britain (1714–1801)**, representing the royal authority. A specific **locator_map_image** exists for the entity titled "British America.png." These symbols were retired in the independent United States after 1783. ### Documentation and Modern Recognition The entity is documented across numerous platforms. Its **wikipedia_title** is "British America," with articles existing in **wikipedia_languages** ranging from Arabic (ar) and German (de) to Japanese (ja) and Chinese (zh), totaling over 35 languages. It has a **commons_category** titled "British America" for shared media. Its **freebase_id** is `/m/02p89zz`. The **sitelink_count** of 38 indicates the number of Wikimedia project links associated with it. The **aliases** list provides translations of the term into Spanish ("America britanica"), Japanese ("イギリス領アメリカ," "英領アメリカ"), and Chinese ("英屬美洲," "英属美利坚"), reflecting its global historical recognition. ### Legacy and Transformation The **dissolved, abolished or demolished_date** of **1783** is the pivotal event in its history. This dissolution was a direct result of the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783). The **replaced_by** relationship to **British North America** highlights the territorial contraction of British rule on the continent, confining it to what would become Canada. Therefore, British America's primary historical significance is as the colonial predecessor to the United States and a major component of early Canada. Its history is inseparable from the **British colonization of the Americas** and the eventual creation of new, independent nations from its former territories.