British North America refers to the former territories of the British Empire in mainland North America. The term was first used informally in 1783, but it was uncommon before the Report on the Affairs of British North America (1839), called the Durham Report. These territories today form modern-day Canada and the Pacific Northwest of the United States. British colonization of North America (including colonization by both the English and the Scots), began in 1607 in Jamestown, Virginia and reached its peak when colonies had been established throughout the Americas.