Thirteen British colonies became the original United States during the American Revolution. They occupied much of Britain’s Atlantic coastline in North America and later formed the first states of the new republic.
The colonies were grouped geographically as New England, the Middle Colonies, and the Southern Colonies. They included Virginia, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Georgia, and ten others. Georgia was the last of the thirteen to be established, receiving its charter in 1732.
The colonies did not begin as a single unified country. Each had its own government and local institutions, but disputes with Britain over taxation, trade regulation, and political representation encouraged cooperation. The Continental Congress provided a forum where colonial delegates coordinated resistance and eventually declared independence.
The number thirteen also influenced early United States symbols. The first national flag had thirteen stars and thirteen stripes, representing the original states. The flag later retained thirteen stripes even as more states joined the Union.