Utah Society Sons of the American Revolution

George Washington’s Birthday Banquet
Ring in the 250th Year of America’s Founding
February 21st at 6:00 p.m.
Sons of Utah Pioneers Building
3301 Louise Avenue, Salt Lake City

Guest Speaker: Michael D. Young
Author of: “O Say Can You Sing –
American Anthems, American Heroes”
(See invitation)

Make your reservation now by clicking in the menu bar above “Online Payments” then click “All Products” then scroll down and make your Chicken or Beef meal selection. You can pay with a debit or credit card. Thanks!

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Welcome to the Official website of the Utah Society Sons of the American Revolution (Utah SAR). 

Members of the Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) are direct descendants of those patriots that achieved the independence of the American people. We remember and honor our patriot ancestors sacrifice and devotion to the cause of liberty.

The objectives of our organization are intended to perpetuate a more profound understanding and appreciation for our founding heritage, the principles of liberty, freedom and self-government as established by our Founding Fathers.

Whether or not you have a Patriot Ancestor, we invite you to explore our website, to learn more about us, who we are, what we do, and how to become a Member or Associate.

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In 2026 Americans will celebrate
The 250th anniversary of The Declaration of Independence,
the year America became an independent nation!
In 2026 we will consider a significant event
of 1776.

The Road to Independence
250 years ago – 1776

January 9, 1776, the printer having proofed, printed, and made ready for distribution Thomas Paine’s pamphlet, Common Sense. Although there is some disagreement, most historians have determined that January 10th is the pamphlet’s official publishing and distribution date. The 47-page pamphlet advocates independence from Great Britain to people living in the Thirteen Colonies. Writing in clear and persuasive prose, Paine presented moral and political arguments to encourage the Colony’s citizens to reject monarchy and fight for egalitarian government. It was published anonymously on January 10, 1776, at the beginning of the American Revolution and became an immediate sensation. Published in Philadelphia, Common Sense was sold and distributed widely and read aloud at taverns and meeting places. In proportion to the population of the colonies at that time, 2.5 million, it had the largest sale and circulation of any book published in American history (estimates are 100,000 copies in 1776). As of 2006, it remains the all-time best-selling American title and is still in print today.

This is a link to the SAR’s short video about Paine and his pamphlet Common Sense:

Click the image to see the text of the Common Sense pamphlet:

Article published in the Pennsylvania Evening Post on January 9, 1776 regarding the new publication, Common Sense (contributed by Ron Fox).

• • January 25 – Henry Knox’s “noble train of artillery” began arriving in the Boston area, specifically Framingham. The artillery properly positioned helps to persuade the British to leave Boston without one cannon being fired.

• • March 17 – The British Army Evacuates Boston.
  • June 7 – Richard Henry Lee Proposes to the Second Continental Congress the necessity of Independence from Great Britain.
  • June 11 – the Committee of Five was formed, by the Second Continental Congress, tasked with drafting the Declaration of Independence, with Thomas Jefferson as the primary author, assisted by John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston, and Roger Sherman.

• • June 29 – signals were sent from American soldiers stationed on Staten Island indicating the British fleet had appeared. Within a few hours, 45 British ships dropped anchor in Lower New York Bay. On July 2, British troops began to land on Staten Island. Less than a week later, there were 130 ships off Staten Island under the command of Richard Howe, the brother of General Howe.
  • July 2 – The Second Continental Congress passes the Lee Resolution making the 13 colonies “free and independent states.”
  • July 4 – The Second Continental Congress formally adopts the Declaration of Independence.
  • August 2 – Delegates begin signing the Declaration of Independence.

• • August 29-30 – The “Miracle of the Fog” occurred during the Battle of Long Island on the night of, when a providential fog descended, allowing General Washington and his trapped Continental Army to secretly evacuate over 9,000 soldiers, horses, and artillery from Brooklyn to Manhattan, saving the Revolution from a potentially fatal defeat.

• • September 22 -21 – year-old patriot Nathan Hale is hung by the British for espionage. His last words are, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”
  • December 26 – The Battle of Trenton “Washington Crosses the Delaware” becomes a critically won battle in America’s Revolutionary War. The terrible weather, the poorly dressed soldiers, the Marblehead boatmen, Hessian Colonel Rall not reading his note of intelligence, and the miraculous saving of James Monroe, future President of the United States make for an exciting story that results in the preservation of the American Continental Army and the cause of America’s independence.

 

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Images and pictures appearing on this website are taken from Wikimedia Commons based on their findings that the images and pictures are in the United States Public Domain (USPD).

Copyright © 2026 Statement. Photography photos submitted to the Utah Society Sons of the American Revolution become the property of said organization. Any photos appearing on the UtahSocietySAR.org website or the Utah Patriot newsletter must be considered copyrighted. No photograph may be copied or used in any form whatsoever, without the express written consent of the Utah Society Sons of the American Revolution.