English colonies in North America
Plaque in St. John's, Newfoundland, commemorating Gilbert's founding of the British overseas EmpireA number of English colonies were established under a system of independent Proprietary Governors, who were appointed under mercantile charters to English joint stock companies to found and run settlements, most notably the Virginia Company, which created the first successful English settlement at Jamestown (and the second, at Bermuda).
England also took over the Dutch colony of New Netherland (including the New Amsterdam settlement) which was renamed the Province of New York in 1664. With New Netherland, the English also came to control the former New Sweden (in what is now Delaware), which the Dutch had conquered earlier. This later became part of Pennsylvania after it was established in 1680.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_colonization_of_the_Americas#English_colonies_in_North_America
Check these out for yourself to see if it helps:
http://www.answers.com/topic/british-north-america
The Mayflower brings religious refugees to North America
http://www.britishpride.org/?p=236
