The Thirteen Colonies that formed the original United States numbered 13.
These British colonies stretched along the Atlantic coast of North America. They were grouped as four New England colonies, four Middle Colonies, and five Southern Colonies. Virginia, the first, was established at Jamestown in 1607; Georgia, the last, was founded in 1732.
The colonies developed separate governments but shared political and legal traditions. Their disputes with Britain intensified after the French and Indian War, especially over taxation and representation. During the American Revolutionary War, they gradually coordinated resistance through the Continental Congress and the Continental Army.
The phrase “Thirteen Colonies” refers specifically to the colonies that declared independence and became the original states. It does not include every British colony in North America, such as Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, or the Floridas. The colonies’ independence was recognized by Britain in the 1783 Treaty of Paris.