The Thirteen Colonies

We explain what the Thirteen British Colonies were and how they emerged. Also, causes and consequences of American independence.

What were the Thirteen British Colonies?

The British Thirteen Colonies (also known as the Thirteen Colonies) were the set of British colonies on the east coast of the current United States territory founded between the 17th and 18th centuries. Its proclamation of independence in 1776 gave birth to the United States of America. The first American flag carried thirteen stars and thirteen red and white bands, alluding to the emancipated Thirteen Colonies.

These colonies were once part of the British territories in America. They were English-speaking agricultural enclaves, Protestant religion and laws very similar to each other. They were linked to the European metropolis through a mercantilist system, in which the central government rigorously administered the assets of the colonies for the benefit of the population residing in Great Britain.

However, Starting in the 1750s, the different colonies began to relate and collaborate with each other to the point that they considered they could do without Great Britain. Thus the way was paved for the American Revolution and independence.

In addition to the Thirteen Colonies, Great Britain controlled other territories in the so-called New World, such as the British West Indies, Newfoundland, the province of Quebec, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and eastern and western Florida.

What were the Thirteen Colonies?

The Thirteen British Colonies were:

• Massachusetts (founded 1620)
• New Hampshire (founded 1623)
• Rhode Island (founded 1636)
• Connecticut (founded 1636)
• New York (founded 1664)
• Pennsylvania (founded 1681)
• New Jersey (founded 1664)
• Delaware (founded 1664)
• Maryland (founded 1632)
• Virginia (founded 1607)
• North Carolina (founded 1653)
• South Carolina (founded 1670)
• Georgia (founded 1733)

How did the Thirteen Colonies come about?

The first permanent British settlement on American soil was Jamestown, Virginia founded by a trading company in 1607, years before Virginia became a royal colony (that is, administered by the British Crown) in 1624. In 1620, a group of Puritan settlers founded Plymouth, which later became part of the colony of Massachusetts, and in 1623 New Hampshire was founded.

The population of these initial colonies was diverse, made up of settlers and farmers of various European nationalities: English, Scots, Irish, Germans, Flemish and French.

In many cases these were people persecuted for religious reasons who saw in the New World the opportunity to start from scratch in a territory far from the power of the Church and the Crown. There were also settlements founded in the 17th century by Swedish and Dutch settlers, which were later conquered by the English and assimilated into the Thirteen Colonies.

By 1770 many of these colonies were already urban centers with commercial stores, artisans and newspapers, and with a population in constant expansion due to European migration and generations born on American soil. These colonies never had a feudal aristocracy like in Europe, since land was abundant and any free man was welcome to cultivate it.

Background to the independence of the United States

Due to its low profitability and productivity (compared to the British Caribbean colonies), The government of Great Britain considered it practical to grant the Thirteen Colonies some autonomy so they could manage their resources more efficiently.

They could have their own system of local government, in which representatives were elected by vote, although most colonial governors were appointed by the Crown.

On the other hand, The laws passed by the British Parliament in Great Britain were valid and effective in the American territories but the colonies did not have representation in Parliament. In turn, the British colonial system was based on mercantilism, an economic doctrine that stated that the colonies should trade exclusively with the metropolis and supply raw materials in exchange for European manufactured goods.

These events caused the displeasure of the American colonists, who to trade with other States had to resort to smuggling and who considered that the British government limited their freedom.

Causes of the independence of the United States

The American War of Independence began in 1775, led to the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and ended with British recognition in 1783. Its main causes were:

• The absence of colonial representation in British government decision-making. This fact acquired importance after the end of the war against the French in 1763, in which many American militiamen participated who, however, continued to be marginalized from political activity.
• The imposition of laws and restrictions by the British Crown on its colonial territories. These laws responded to mercantilism and, therefore, favored the metropolis to the detriment of local economies.
• Contact and collaboration between the Thirteen Colonies. The relationship between the colonies began in the 1750s and allowed the colonists to develop a common identity that motivated them to do without Great Britain.
• The spread of ideas of emancipation and freedom. These ideas had emerged with the Enlightenment in France and Great Britain and had spread rapidly to the American colonies, where they promoted the values ​​of freedom and independence.
• The outbreak of popular protests in the Thirteen Colonies. Settler discontent sparked protests and incidents that resulted in a violent response from the British Crown, which in turn fueled tensions into armed conflict.

Consequences of the independence of the United States

The consequences of the independence of the Thirteen Colonies were:

• The outbreak of an armed conflict between Great Britain and its American colonies. The conflict between Great Britain and the Thirteen Colonies, known as the American War of Independence, began in 1775 and ended in 1783 with the definitive emancipation of the colonies.
• The birth of America. The Declaration of Independence, signed on July 4, 1776 by the Thirteen Colonies, marked the creation of a new American nation: the United States of America (or United States). Independence was recognized by Great Britain in 1783, which ended the War of Independence.
• The promulgation of the United States Constitution. The victory over the British allowed the leaders of the American nation to implement the new enlightened and republican ideals in social and political matters. In this way, the states were organized into a federation and the first Constitution was drafted (1787), which came into force in 1789. In addition, the Bill of Rights was drafted (1789), which introduced the first amendments to the Constitution.
• The construction of a founding myth. A society was formed that mythologized its origins by remembering the settlement of the pilgrims who had arrived aboard the ship. Mayflower at the beginning of the 17th century.
• territorial expansion. At the end of the 18th century, the territorial expansion of the United States began across extensive areas of North America. The expansion continued throughout the 19th century and caused wars with the indigenous populations that inhabited those territories.
• Internal political differences. Opposing political tendencies were consolidated, such as those that pitted those who defended slavery (mainly in the southern states) against those who called for its abolition (mostly in the northern states). Almost a hundred years later, these differences gave rise to the opposing sides in the Civil War (1861-1865).

References

• Britannica, Encyclopaedia (2023). American colonies. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/
• Jenkins, P. (2019). Brief history of the United States. 5th. edition. Alliance.
• L'historia (2016). The Thirteen British Colonies. The story. https://www.lhistoria.com/