The age of colonization had a lasting impact on the history of many parts of the world. Colonies were established in all corners of the globe, and some, such as those founded by Great Britain, France, and Spain grew to truly monumental sizes. Here are some of the largest colonies in history:
- British India, established by Great Britain in 1757, eventually encompassed more than 5 million square miles.
- New France, created when French explorers began settling Canada in 1534, spanned an area larger than that of Europe with an estimated 3 million square miles at its peak.
- Spanish America was comprised of a majority of South America and included parts of North America following Spanish exploration and conquest in the 16th century; it is estimated to have been as large as 5 million square miles.
- The Dutch East Indies or Dutch Indies was a vast collection of territories and islands controlled by the Netherlands from 1602 until Indonesia’s independence in 1949; it is believed to have spanned roughly 2 million square miles at its height.
What are the three main colonies?
The three main colonies throughout history have been British India, New France, and Spanish America.
British India was established by the British East India Company in 1757 and eventually encompassed more than 5 million square miles.
New France was created when French explorers began settling Canada in 1534 and spanned an area larger than that of Europe with an estimated 3 million square miles at its peak.
Spanish America was comprised of a majority of South America and included parts of North America following Spanish exploration and conquest in the 16th century; it is estimated to have been as large as 5 million square miles.
How did the 13 colonies become 50 states?
The 13 colonies that would become the United States of America declared their independence from Britain in 1776 and formed their own government. The Revolution was successful, leading to the Treaty of Paris in 1783 which recognized the U.S. as an independent nation.
In the years that followed, a number of new states were added to the union. After much negotiation on the part of both state governments and the federal government, Alaska and Hawaii were admitted into the union as the 49th and 50th states in 1959. In addition, Washington DC was granted statehood in 1961 as an organized but unincorporated territory.
Which of the 13 colonies was the biggest?
The biggest of the 13 colonies was Virginia. It had a population of over 1 million people and covered an area of over 53,000 square miles. Within Virginia were the settlements that would eventually become West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and part of Ohio.
What was the 13th colony of the United States?
The thirteenth colony to form what would eventually make up the United States of America was Georgia. It declared its independence from Britain on January 19, 1776 and officially joined the union on January 2, 1788. The original 13 colonies were Virginia, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Maryland, Delaware, North Carolina, South Carolina and Georgia.
