The Declaration of Independence represented thirteen colonies.
Those colonies had been British possessions in North America before declaring themselves free and independent states. The document’s formal title refers to “the thirteen united States of America,” reflecting the political union created by independence.
The Second Continental Congress adopted the Declaration on July 4, 1776. The colonies were represented through their congressional delegations, which debated and edited Thomas Jefferson’s draft before approving the final text.
The thirteen colonies were New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. Their number is central to early American symbolism, including the original thirteen-star U.S. flag.