Hi Dragona:
I'm not sure that America had a British accent from the beginning. Certainly those settlers who arrived here initially from England did but as Joel said we also had Irish, German, French, Scotch, Scandanavian, etc. settlers and as they all melded together it appears that the unique "American" accent evolved (although I think it might be disrespective to our Canadian neighbors to call it American unless you include them because the Canadians speak with virtually the same accent with only very slight variations).
Joel is also correct is saying that there are several distinct regional accents in the United States but they are still "American" so to speak. Nobody is going to mistake a Georgia boy for a Brit!
Even you Dragona
I noticed when you signed on as a newbie you said "Hi y'all" (if I remember correctly) which is a distinctly Southern expression!
I believe these regional accents are dying out though. I noticed that very few young people speak with a heavy accent anymore...certainly not like they did years ago. I believe it is due to the influence of television, movies on DVD, and the mobile nature of American society. It is not uncommon to find people from all corners of the country living, working and going to school in places far removed from their birthplace and they are constantly on the move. This intermingling of Americans is erasing accents in much the same way the intermingling of settlers erased the British accent.
Just my opinion...not based on any scholarly investigation
