The 13 Colonies: Which of the following lists all of the original 13 colonies?

• A. Virginia, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Delaware, New Hampshire, Connecticut, and Rhode Island
• B. Virginia, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Delaware, New Hampshire, Maine, Rhode Island
• C. Virginia, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Delaware, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island
• D. Virginia, New Hampshire, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Delaware, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island

Answer: (A)

Focus on which colonies existed as the original English settlements in North America before the American Revolution. The original 13 are Virginia; Massachusetts; New Hampshire; Maryland; Connecticut; Rhode Island; Delaware; North Carolina; South Carolina; New York; New Jersey; Pennsylvania; and Georgia. Maine was not one of the original colonies—it was part of Massachusetts at that time. So a correct list must include exactly these names and exclude Maine and any other non-original colony.

In the options given, any list that includes all of those 13 and nothing else is correct, regardless of order. One listed set does that, and another also does, just arranged differently. The essential idea is recognizing the exact group of 13, not the order in which they appear.