The Declaration of Independence announced independence for the Thirteen Colonies. These British colonies along the Atlantic coast became the original states of the United States after the American Revolution.
The colonies had different economies, religions, and political traditions, but the Continental Congress presented their decision as a collective act. The Declaration referred to them as “free and independent States” after separation from Great Britain.
The thirteen colonies were Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island. Their combined decision is the historical foundation commemorated in 2026.