Ratification Day, celebrated annually on January 14, commemorates a pivotal moment in American history when the Continental Congress officially ratified the Treaty of Paris in 1784, marking the end of the American Revolution. Although peace talks had begun in 1782 and the Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1783, it wasn’t until January 14, 1784, that Congress ratified the treaty, solidifying the nation’s freedom. Ratification Day serves as a time to honor the Patriots who fought to establish the United States as a free and independent nation.
One prominent figure in South Carolina’s role in the American Revolution was General Thomas Sumter. Known for his strategic leadership in numerous campaigns across North and South Carolina, Sumter played a key role in driving Lord Cornwallis out of the region and into Virginia. His bravery earned him the nickname “the Fighting Gamecock,” a legacy that lives on today as the mascot of South Carolina's state university.
In addition to this tribute, Sumter’s contributions to American independence were further honored with the naming of Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor. When construction of the fort began in 1829, Sumter was the last surviving general of the American Patriot forces. Though he passed away on June 1, 1832, at the age of 97, before the fort's completion in 1860, Fort Sumter remains a lasting symbol of his dedication to the American cause. The fort was still under construction when Major Thomas Anderson and his Federal troops took position there on December 26, 1860.
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