European colonization of the Americas

Part 4- Great Britain

Background info

• British colonization of the Americas (including colonization under the Kingdom of England before the 1707 Acts of Union created the Kingdom of Great Britain) began in the late 16th century, before reaching its peak after colonies were established throughout the Americas, 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.

The “Big Four”

• Portugal

• Spain

• France

• Great Britain

Great Britain • This British conquest caused

dramatic upheaval upon the indigenous civilizations in the Americas both directly through British military force and indirectly through cultural disruption and the introduction of European diseases.

• Though many of the indigenous societies had a developed warrior class, and long history of warfare, they were not able to withstand the technologically superior British force and eventually succumbed. Many of the conquered peoples vanished or were incorporated into the colonial system.

The British set up 3 different types of colonies in the Americas:

• charter colonies

• proprietary colonies

• royal colonies

Map of British possessions in the Americas

References

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_colonization_of_the_Americas

• http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761566125/british_empire.html