the 1776 sticker is great, but... Would anyone else use an "American Patriot" sticker? [closed]

+15 votes
670 views

The sticker for the 1776 Project is cool, but I wanted a sticker using the Betsy Ross flag.A couple of cousins thought it was pretty cool. So... For a sticker to be approved, three or more WikiTree members need to say they'd use it on a profile they manage ([creating a sticker]).

Would you use Template:American Patriot? The one displayed on Samuel Gill's profile is from [a sandbox], but if a few more folks would like to use it, I can make it permanent as Template:American Patriot.

Thanks!

WikiTree profile: Samuel Gill
closed with the note: Thanks everyone! Sticker has been created - see https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Template:American_Patriot
in Policy and Style by Liz Shifflett G2G6 Pilot (622k points)
closed by Liz Shifflett
Liz, could you clarify? Does "American Patriot" only refer to those who fought in the American Revolution?

I've got to think that many people may think of their ancestors or family members as patriots a) who may not have fought (Mary Ross for example) or b) during other eras (fighting in other wars or not) besides just the American Revolution (Sally Ride, or a son or daughter who gave their life in Afghanistan, for example). The Betsy Ross flag wouldn't apply in the "b" cases.  

Another question: if "American Patriot" is only for the American Revolution, how do we know when to use it and when to use the 1776 sticker?

Thanks for clarifying.

It is only for an American during the American Revolution who "provided service or fought during the American Revolution. An authoritative source for this must be included either as an inline citation or in the source list for the profile." (from the [Template page]). The Military and War stickers pertain to the others.

It is an alternative to the 1776 sticker for Americans. Also from the Template page:

Note: Profiles for soldiers from France and other countries who fought for American Independence should use the 1776 sticker. American soldiers can use either sticker.

P.S. Jillaine, I could rename this sticker if you wanted to work on designing one that would cover any American providing/performing patriotic service at any time. Just let me know.

Cheers, Liz
I would like to see two separate stickers, one for those who fought and one for those who rendered service. It is confusing to people when they see the 1776 sticker on a profile for someone who never left the country (French Canadians) but are considered Patriots.

Sue- I think that would be more a comment for the 1776 Project to address, as I think that the current 1776 sticker may already be capable of stating that the person provided support or rendered service. This sticker (the American Patriot sticker) is only for Americans, since it uses the Betsy Ross flag.

... just checked the project page, and it looks like the 1776 sticker can show another country - "Sticker" on the project page gives instructions for using the sticker which include the line

|Branch= Here you add service branch or country.

To answer Jilliane Smith;

I’m a member of the Sons of the American Revolution. As I understand it, the term “Patriot” usually only applies when loyalties were questions for everyone, as in the time preceding and during the American Revolution. Forever after that time on US soil, being a Patriot is a given, and distinctions were specifically made for traitors. If you were Traitor, then you are no longer considered a Patriot. Otherwise, we’re all Patriots here.
true, but this was designed for the time period of the American Revolution & links to the profile's sources section, where support for the sticker should be (either as a footnote, having been added as an inline citation or as a bulleted entry).

However--- a revised 1776 sticker was announced today and it is SO much easier to use!! See https://www.wikitree.com/g2g/1093292/the-american-revolutionary-war-project-1776-has-new-sticker
I don't understand how a rebel against a current (e.g. before and during the American War of Independence) government could be termed a 'patriot' and those loyal to the government would be called 'traitor'. As a descendent of several Loyalists (as we term them here in Canada) I find it baffling and rather offensive, or at the very least inaccurate to read about the British loyalists in the American War of Independence being termed traitors. This is such emotive language and surely doesn't belong in a Wikitree profile?? I came across a profile that used that language and was thinking of writing to the manager to ask him/her to change the language, but can see from reading through G2G that the issue is widely misunderstood and the true historical terms are not in use, and I fear I'd be causing a s**t storm.
The Loyalists on one side are traitors to the other - and vice versa.

Good points, Judith.

WikiTree does have a principle, "use their conventions, not ours," so when documenting someone who lived back then, we should be using terms that were used by them during their lifetime, preferably citing a contemporaneous source. Example:

"So-and-so was convicted of being a traitor by the new US government.[cite the source] He escaped to Canada along with several others who remained loyal to British rule, joining a community of Loyalists in Nova Scotia.[cite the source]"

I was reviewing profiles that use the American Patriot sticker and many were not within the 1773-1789 timeframe. With the new & improved - and MUCH easier to use 1776 Sticker, I updated the American Patriot sticker so that it can add the war and change the image/image text. The documentation (which appears on the template page) has explanations and examples.

Liz, that is one fine profile!  and yes, I like the Betsy Ross sticker. I would use it.
Thanks Jo! It's the result of a LOT of collaboration! (From folks not members of WikiTree too!)

9 Answers

+13 votes
I would definitely use it!
by Lisa Mullings G2G6 Mach 1 (18.5k points)
one down two to go :D
I would use it as well! Great idea.
Thanks Laura! We got our three supporters & created the sticker a while back, so you don't have to wait for it to be available - see

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Template:American_Patriot
+10 votes
Too bad I can't use a Patriots logo for the Patriots who came from New England. Sigh...People and their copyrights.

There is an American Patriot icon floating around geni. I use it for the Patriots there. Here it is: https://s3.amazonaws.com/photos.geni.com/p13/5c/f7/25/ec/53444845c2f1861e/1776_medium.jpg

I wonder if that would work here.
by Chris Ferraiolo G2G6 Pilot (753k points)
so... is that a yes or a no to the sticker that uses the Betsy Ross flag?
Yeah. That's cool. I say go for it. Sorry I wasn't specific. =D The 1776 image is a little busy to me.
Thanks Chris. That's two. One to go :D
+12 votes

Count me in! I’ll use it. yes

by Pip Sheppard G2G Astronaut (2.7m points)
Thanks Pip! Three down :D
+10 votes
Liz, I like the sticker very much.  I would use it.  What are the requirements for its use?
by Jo Gill G2G6 Pilot (164k points)
the link in the sticker goes to the required heading "Sources", so the requirement would be that documentation is listed there (either as footnote from an inline reference or separately).
+9 votes
I was going to take issue with the inclusion of those who fought because isn't that what the 1776  sticker is for, but then I remembered that I came across a profile recently of a guy who fought, but he was too old to join a military unit, but he just wouldn't go home! He could use that sticker and I would certainly use it on other profiles.
by Lucy Selvaggio-Diaz G2G6 Pilot (816k points)
I kinda want to make up a story for that guy now....

=)
ooh Lucy - does he have a profile? He sounds like someone worth knowing!

Lieutenant James Gould fought at the Battle of Saratoga with his son, also named James, who was too young to bear arms but was allowed to serve as a "waiter" to his father.  His son carried his father home on a stretcher from Albany, New York to New Hampshire, along with other soldiers.  

So here's to remembering the young who served, as well as the older men!

+7 votes
Thanks everyone! Sticker is created:

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Template:American_Patriot
by Liz Shifflett G2G6 Pilot (622k points)
+8 votes
Yes I think its a great idea, I would love it.
by Arthur Jones G2G3 (3.2k points)
+7 votes
If someone already has a 1776 sticker included on their profile, does that preclude them from also having the patriot sticker?

Thanks
by Living Williams G2G6 Mach 6 (63.5k points)
not necessarily. Keep in mind that WikiTree recommends "no more than 5" stickers, saying "3 would be better" - so you don't want to "over sticker" a profile. It's also a stickerr saying the same thing essentially, but the 1776 sticker has a lot more information.

If I were to use both on a profile I managed, I would use one higher in the profile and one with the paragraph describing the person's service (I could argue either way, but I'm partial to the American Patriot sticker, so I would probably use it just below the Biography heading and the 1776 sticker with the paragraph that gives details about the person's service).

Thanks, Liz.  As a Wonderful Wikitreer, something told me you would have a great answer as always.  I agree with your statement.  However, as much as I like the image on the Patriot sticker, I also really like the image on the 1776 sticker.  In fact, I really can't decide on which one I like better.  Consequently, that it why I wanted to know if I could use both stickers on a profile.  By the way, don't you just love it when you can apply something you just recently learned as a result of working on a project?  As it happens, I just read about the 5 sticker limit just yesterday when I graduated from the England Project's orphan trail and received my first achievement sticker. By the way, I noticed on the Help: Stickers page it specifically states "this limit does not apply to members' own account profiles".  So, I was wondering why so many people appear to believe they should also keep the number of stickers used on their own home personal profiles to a minimum.  I really enjoy it when I see a sticker that highlights something about the person in a profile, especially on Wikitreers' own personal home profiles.

According to Wikitree, I have more than 20 Revolutionary War veteran ancestors and I plan on using both stickers on most of their applicable profiles.  So, on behalf of my ancestors, I just want to say thank you for helping your fellow Wikitree members who want to commemorate the lives of their amazing ancestors.  You are a treasure.  yessmiley

Thanks (again!) for your kind words John! And WikiTree is like that - the more you play the more you learn (and the easier it gets :D).

I was REALLY happy that the number restriction on stickers does not apply to your own profile... I LOVE stickers! For an example of going completely gaga over stickers, see [this section] of my profile page (there are even more stickers [above that section]).

+5 votes
I would definitely use the Betsey Ross sticker and love the born in moved to sticker. I wasn't aware this was an option! Thanks!
by Carol Baldwin G2G Astronaut (1.1m points)

Thanks Carol! The born in/moved to sticker for Samuel uses the Virginia Sticker template, but the same sort of result can be achieved with the https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Template:Nonmigrating_Ancestor ... You just need to know the file name of the flag you'd like to use. See the template page for links to help you find a flag.

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