Twelve of the thirteen colonies voted in favor when Congress approved the Declaration of Independence.
The New York delegation abstained because it had not yet received authorization from its colonial convention. The other twelve colonial delegations supported the measure on July 4, 1776. New York later authorized its delegates to agree, completing the political support of all thirteen colonies.
This detail is often blurred by the phrase “the thirteen colonies declared independence.” That phrase describes the collective outcome, but the initial vote did not have all thirteen delegations voting yes. The Declaration’s title referred to the “thirteen United States of America,” reflecting the intended united claim.
The distinction also helps explain why the Declaration’s adoption and signing are treated as separate stages. Congress approved the text on July 4, while the parchment was primarily signed later, beginning on August 2. America250 commemorates the 1776 adoption that followed this decisive vote.