Colonial America deals with the development of the American colonies from the first permanent settlement at Jamestown to the independence of the 13 which became the US. Instead of anticipating the birth of a nation, Mary K. Geiter and W. A. Speck treat the history of the colonies as part of the wider history of the British Empire, including colonies in the Americas which did not rebel against British rule, such as the islands in the West Indies. In this way, Geiter and Speck demonstrate how Britain and America shared a common history for nearly 200 years.