The 13 colonies were the original British colonies on the east coast of North America which later broke away to form the United States of America. The colonies were traditionally grouped as follows:

• New England Colonies: New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut
• Middle Colonies: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware
• Southern Colonies: Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia

These colonies were established between the early 1600s and early 1700s and had similar political and legal systems under British rule. They eventually united during the American Revolution to gain independence from Britain.