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13 Colonies




purportedly sewed the first American Flag with 13 stars and 13 stripes representing each of the 13 states.]]

The Thirteen Colonies were thirteen British Colonies in North America , separately Charter ed and governed, that rebelled, signed the Declaration Of Independence in 1776 becoming independent sovereign states, thereby establishing the United States Of America .


THE THIRTEEN COLONIES



Contemporaneous documents almost always listed the colonies in geographical order, roughly from north to south, as follows (the division into three regions is a later construct of historians, though New England was always considered to be a distinct region):


Reference is sometimes seen to the Chesapeake Colonies, these being the Province of Maryland and the Colony and Dominion of Virginia; so called because they border the Chesapeake Bay .


PROPRIETARY, ROYAL, AND CHARTER COLONIES

The Thirteen Colonies were established by one of three possible means.

  • Proprietary Colonies : Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. The British Crown gave a charter (document) and land to a private owner (proprietor) who would then govern the colony.


  • Royal Colonies : New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The British Crown retained sovereignty over the colony and governed it.


  • Charter Colonies : Rhode Island and Connecticut. The British Crown granted a charter (document) to a group of settlers, who would then govern the colony.



BRITISH COLONIES IN MAINLAND NORTH AMERICA THAT DID NOT JOIN THE REBELLION

Britain held several other colonies on mainland North America in 1776 which did not join the 13 in their Revolution against the Crown.


Future Canadian provinces


ruled the orange west of the Mississippi River . The red area is the area of the 13 colonies after the Proclamation of 1763. (Map produced by U.S. Dept. of Interior.)]]


Future American states



SEE ALSO



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