If you're American, who are generally seen as incredibly parochial (especially by the British), then that may be the case. If you're British, then the colonies really could be any of 75% of the world.

As a Brit, I think it's a tad unfair on the yanks to see them as that parochial. As a test, ask any Brit moaning about the NHS and railing against the US private system (these complaints often come together from people who would never consider themselves parochial) whether the health services of Germany, France or the Netherlands are private. They won't have the first clue.

Just shows you, all that consumption of worldly and international news by worldly and international types remains strangely parochial, and that's just one example.