A Lineage Society
The SAR is a "lineage" society. This means that each member has traced their family tree back to a point of having an ancestor who supported the cause of American Independence during the years 1774-1783.
Do You Have A Patriot Ancestor?
If you already know that you have such an ancestor, then you may want to continue on to our "Why We Join" section or even go straight to our "Where to Start" section below.
If you aren't sure whether any of your ancestors lived in the United States during the Revolution, don't lose heart. Many people who never set foot in the United States supported the American colonists struggle against British domination -- for example the king of Spain. Many patriots (or their descendants moved to foreign lands and their descendants moved back later, not knowing their ancestors were here before. Many French, German, and Spanish soldiers and sailors fought in support of American independence and returned home without making their descendants aware of their participation in gaining American independence.
Suppose You Don't?
Even if you do not identify an ancestor who participated in the struggle for American Independence you can still have hours of fun searching for information on your ancestors. Getting involved in your genealogy usually produces interesting family stories and an improved appreciation for the problems and opportunities that your ancestors had to deal with.
While the lack of a documented patriot ancestor will prevent you from joining the SAR, there are many other societies that can help you explore your family history, meet other people of the same lineage that you have, and support the political institutions that make the United States a great nation.
Costs and Benefits
While you can give and get significantly more from the SAR than the basic costs and benefits of membership, we list them here because they are where most of us start.
Application Fees (typical): National $70, State $5, Chapter $5; Total: $80
Benefits of Joining (typical):
National: review, registration, and archival storage of lineage and documentation; membership certificate
State or Chapter: membership insignia (rosette); booklet with constitution, bylaws, officers, membership list
Annual Dues (typical): National $30, State $20, Chapter $20; Total: (typical) $70
Annual Benefits (typical):
National: four issues of The SAR Magazine; access to on-line discussion groups; opportunities to participate in the District Meeting, Trustee meetings, and the Annual Congress
State: online newsletters, opportunities to participate in several state events
Chapter: several newsletters, opportunities to participate in all chapter activities
Members are encouraged to participate in a number of activities:
Come to meetings, pay dues on time, read the newsletters
Recommend good people for awards, help present the awards
Encourage youth to enter contests, sponsor their awards
Help with an activity, join a committee, become an officer
Get information on patriot graves, mark a grave site
Learn about local historical markers, tell your friends
Volunteer to talk at a local school or civic association
Join or start or support a color guard with Rev. War uniforms
Support local historical research, get it published or on the Web
Fly the flag of our nation correctly and often at your home.
Where Should You Start?
Begin by determining which branch of your family tree leads you by bloodline (not through adopted children) to a Patriot Ancestor; this means that you don't need to know an entire family tree, just a single line back.
The process of tracing & documenting your family tree back several generations to a Patriot Ancestor can be relatively easy if it is documented already, or challenging, requiring exhaustive research. The SAR National website has an excellent step by step process to membership application. You should also review the documents and pamphlets available on our website navigation bar at left.