Definition: The term "dodecarchy" is a figurative term that refers to a political system in which there are 12 separate states. It is often used in the context of the United States, where the concept of a federal government with 13 separate states is common. The term was first coined by the American philosopher and lawyer Thomas Jefferson in his work "The Federalist Papers," which he wrote in 1803 to argue for the separation of powers among the three branches