Thirteen colonies were represented by the Declaration of Independence honored at America's 250th anniversary.
The Thirteen Colonies were British colonies along the Atlantic coast of North America. Their delegates formed the political body that declared independence in 1776 and then described themselves as the thirteen United States of America.
The colonies were Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island. Their separate colonial identities mattered during congressional voting, even as the independence movement presented a united cause.
The number 13 is often confused with later national symbols. The United States eventually expanded to 50 states, but the original declaration concerned the 13 colonies. The flag's 13 stripes also commemorate the original colonies, while its 50 stars represent the current states.