Original: Although the first 13 states can be considered to have been members of the United States from the date of the Declaration of Independence -- July 4 , 1776 -- , or from the date on which they ratified the Articles of Confederation , they are presented here as being '' admitted '' on the date each ratified the present United States Constitution ; most other such lists , including the 50 State Quarters program , do the same .
Simplified: The first 13 states became states of the United States on the date of the Declaration of Independence , Thursday , July 4 , 1776 but they are shown here as '' joining '' on the date each ratified the United States Constitution .