The Declaration of Independence represented thirteen colonies, remembered collectively as the Thirteen Colonies.
These British colonies occupied the Atlantic seaboard of North America. From north to south, they were New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
The colonies did not all agree instantly on independence. On July 4, 1776, twelve colonial delegations voted for adoption while New York initially abstained because its delegates lacked authorization. New York later joined the decision, allowing the Declaration to speak for all thirteen.
The number thirteen remained important in early United States symbolism. The first national flag design used thirteen stars and thirteen stripes, representing the original states. As new states joined, the flag kept thirteen stripes but increased its stars.