Thirteen colonies declared independence together in the United States Declaration of Independence.
The colonies stretched along the Atlantic coast of North America from New Hampshire in the north to Georgia in the south. They developed distinct economies and political traditions, but resistance to British taxation, military enforcement, and imperial authority brought their representatives together in the Continental Congress.
The Declaration’s formal title referred to “the thirteen united States of America.” On July 4, 1776, Congress adopted the document after all thirteen colonial delegations supported independence, although New York initially abstained because its delegates lacked authorization. New York later joined the unanimous position.
The thirteen colonies should not be confused with the thirteen states that later ratified the Constitution. They are the same original political units viewed at different stages: colonies before independence, states during the Confederation period, and founding members of the federal Union. Vermont was not one of the original thirteen colonies.