Thirteen colonies formed the original United States after breaking from British rule.
These colonies occupied the Atlantic seaboard and were separately administered under the British Crown. They were commonly grouped as four New England colonies, four Middle Colonies, and five Southern Colonies. Their names became the foundation for the first states of the new nation.
The colonies did not all have identical economies or settlement histories. Virginia began as an English colony at Jamestown in 1607, while Georgia was established much later, in 1732. Pennsylvania was founded under William Penn, and Maryland was associated with the Calvert family. Their political systems and local privileges varied considerably.
The phrase “Thirteen Colonies” became especially common during the American Revolution. It refers specifically to the colonies that declared independence and joined the United States, not every British possession in North America. British territories such as Canada and the Floridas were not part of this original group.