Uncover stories of the American Revolution told by the people who lived it
The National Park Service and the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) are collaborating on a special project to transcribe the pension records of more than 80,000 of America’s first veterans and their widows. The project will make a permanent contribution to the historical record for the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution.
View the Revolutionary War Pension Records (NARA Record Group 15, M804).
Volunteer as a citizen archivist
You are invited to help transcribe these records and uncover new stories from the Revolution. You could be the first person in 200 years to learn their stories!
Get started by registering as a volunteer with the National Archives. Add "NPS" to the beginning of your username to be counted as a National Park Service referral. For example, NPSNatalieM.
Learn more about the project
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Be a Citizen Archivist!Make a permanent contribution to the historical record by helping to transcribe these pension files.
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About Revolutionary War PensionsFollowing the War of 1812, the US felt it was time to finally pay the national debt of gratitude due to its Revolutionary War veterans.
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Transcription Tips and GuideDiscover what kinds of documents are contained in the Revolutionary War pension files
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Using the NARA CatalogUse tags to connect pension records to national parks.
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Frequently Asked QuestionsAdditional project details and FAQs.
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Learn more about the American RevolutionLearn more about the people, places, and stories of the American Revolution.