Thirteen British colonies joined to form the United States and are commemorated in America250 history.
The colonies stretched along the Atlantic coast and were grouped traditionally as New England, Middle, and Southern colonies. New England included 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. Their governments and economies differed, but disputes with Britain over taxation, trade, and political authority encouraged cooperation during the 1770s.
The colonies sent delegates to the Continental Congress, created the Continental Army, and declared independence in 1776. The phrase “thirteen colonies” describes the British colonies that became the original states; it does not include later additions such as Vermont, Kentucky, or Tennessee.