Welcome Visitors to The Villages, Florida Chapter - Sons of the American Revolution!

        NATIONAL SOCIETY OF THE SONS OF THE                 

                         AMERICAN REVOLUTION                                                                                             

The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (NSSAR), commonly known as the SAR, was founded in 1889 and is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky. The SAR is a non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to promoting patriotism, preserving the history of the American Revolution, and fostering education for future generations.

Each year, SAR members contribute countless volunteer hours in service to their local communities. The organization is actively engaged in supporting active-duty military personnel, honoring veterans, and recognizing those who serve our nation. SAR members also assist educators and students through living history presentations, classroom resources, lesson-planning materials, and historical reenactment programs that bring the Revolutionary era to life for young people.

As one of the largest male lineage societies in the United States, the SAR includes tens of thousands of members organized in more than 550 chapters throughout the United States and abroad. Membership is open to any man aged 18 or older, regardless of race, religion, or ethnic background, who can document direct lineal descent from an individual who supported the cause of American independence during the Revolutionary War.

The Society continues to embrace advancements in genealogical research and is exploring expanded use of DNA evidence to assist individuals whose family records may be incomplete or difficult to trace through traditional documentation alone.

The SAR National Headquarters is home to one of the nation's premier genealogical research libraries, staffed by professionally trained genealogists and librarians who provide valuable assistance to members and researchers alike.

The National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution is recognized as a tax-exempt organization under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Although it was granted a Congressional Charter, the Society receives no government funding and operates through the support of its members and donors.

The Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) is dedicated to preserving and advancing the institutions of American freedom, patriotism, and respect for our nation's symbols and heritage. We strive to foster pride in American citizenship and uphold the enduring principle of E Pluribus Unum—"Out of Many, One"—which serves as a unifying force for our nation.

The origins of the SAR can be traced to the patriotic spirit surrounding the Centennial Celebration of the Declaration of Independence in 1876. During this period, a group of men in the San Francisco, California area, all descendants of patriots who had participated in the American Revolution, established an organization known as the Sons of Revolutionary Sires.

Their purpose was to create a fraternal and civic society that would honor the men and women who pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor in the struggle for American independence from Great Britain. The founders sought to preserve the stories of patriotism, sacrifice, and courage demonstrated by their ancestors. They believed these stories represented a universal struggle against tyranny and would inspire future generations to defend and strengthen the freedoms secured by the American Revolution.

From the Sons of Revolutionary Sires emerged the National Society of the Sons of the American Revolution (NSSAR), formally organized on April 30, 1889—the one-hundredth anniversary of the inauguration of General George Washington as the first President of the United States. For more than a century, the Society has proudly identified itself by the acronym SAR.

The SAR was established as a fraternal and civic organization composed of lineal descendants of the patriots who supported the cause of American independence. These patriots included those who fought in the battles of the Revolutionary War, wintered at Valley Forge, signed the Declaration of Independence, served in the Continental Congress, or otherwise contributed to the struggle for liberty.

On June 9, 1906, the National Society was granted a Congressional Charter by an Act of the United States Congress. The charter was signed by President Theodore Roosevelt, himself a member of the Empire State Society, SAR. This charter authorized the National Society to grant charters to state societies and empowered those state societies to establish local chapters within their respective jurisdictions.

Today, the SAR continues to operate under its federal charter as established in Title 36 of the United States Code, carrying forward its mission of patriotism, education, historic preservation, and service to the nation.