Claim: Canada was a British colony in North America.

British colonization of the Americas -LRB- including colonization by both the English and the Scots -RRB- began in 1607 in Jamestown , Virginia and reached its peak when colonies had been established throughout the Americas . The British were among the most important colonizers of the Americas , and their American empire came to rival the Spanish American colonies in military and economic might .   Three types of colonies existed in the British Empire in America during the height of its power in the 18th Century . These were charter colonies , proprietary colonies and royal colonies . A group of 13 British American colonies collectively broke from the British Empire in the 1770s through a successful revolution , establishing the modern United States . After the end of the Napoleonic Wars -LRB- 1803 -- 15 -RRB- , British territories in the Americas were slowly granted more responsible government . In 1838 the Durham Report recommended full responsible government for Canada , but this was not fully implemented for another decade . Eventually , with the Confederation of Canada , the Canadian colonies were granted significant autonomy and became a self-governing Dominion in 1867 . Other colonies in the Americas followed at a much slower pace . In this way , two countries in North America , ten in the Caribbean , and one in South America have received their independence from the United Kingdom . All of these , except the United States , are members of the Commonwealth of Nations and nine are Commonwealth realms . The eight current British overseas territories in the Americas have varying degrees of self-government .