Thirteen British colonies declared independence and formed the original United States.
The colonies stretched along the Atlantic coast of North America and were traditionally grouped as New England, Middle, and Southern colonies. New England contained New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. The Middle Colonies included New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. The Southern Colonies were Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
These colonies were separately administered, but they shared political and legal traditions and increasingly cooperated during disputes with Britain. Tensions intensified after the French and Indian War, especially over taxation, representation, and imperial control.
The number thirteen belongs to the founding group, not the modern number of states. Vermont became the fourteenth state in 1791, and other states joined later. The thirteen stripes on the original United States flag also represented the thirteen colonies, while stars were later used to represent states.