Thirteen original colonies are represented by the United States’ 1776 independence movement.
The Thirteen Colonies were British colonies along the Atlantic coast of North America that joined in the American Revolution and later formed the United States. They were New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia.
The colonies were not identical. They had different economies, religious traditions, settlement histories, and political arrangements. They were grouped traditionally as the New England, Middle, and Southern Colonies. Despite those differences, disputes with the British government helped encourage cooperation through the Continental Congress.
The number thirteen is associated with both the original colonies and the thirteen stripes on the United States flag. The stars on the current flag represent the states, while the thirteen stripes preserve the symbolism of the original colonies. Georgia was the last of the thirteen colonies to be founded, in 1732.