The 13 original states were New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The 13 original states were the first 13 British colonies. British colonists traveled across the Atlantic Ocean from Europe. They came to the East Coast of the United States. They founded colonies there. Massachusetts is an original state. In 1620, British colonists landed in Massachusetts. These colonists wanted freedom to practice their religion. Virginia is an original state. British colonists founded Virginia in 1607. Colonists in Virginia grew tobacco on large farms. New York is an original state. The area that is now New York used to be called New Amsterdam. It became the British colony of New York in 1664. Massachusetts, Virginia, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New York are five of the 13 original states.