
The Declaration of Independence Created 13 New Sovereign Countries
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Jan 24, 2026 Larsen Plyler, historian (PhD) who teaches secondary school and leads an early American history course, explores 1770s political thought. He explains how the Declaration used plural language to envision 13 sovereign states. They contrast the Confederation with the nationalist shift in the 1780s and trace cultural roots shaping regional politics.
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Declaration Meant Thirteen Nations
- The Declaration declared 13 separate sovereign states rather than a single unified nation.
- Jefferson's language intentionally used the plural to assert independent nationhood and mutual cooperation.
Articles Framed A Loose Confederacy
- The Articles of Confederation framed the union as a loose league of friendship among sovereign states.
- Article 2 and 3 preserve state sovereignty while creating cooperative defense and commerce functions.
Nation ≠ State
- Nation and state are distinct concepts; abolishing the central government doesn't erase nations.
- Mises noted nations exist independently of whether they possess a state apparatus.






