January 14 - Ratification Day in the U.S.A.

Posted on January 14, 2020

The end of something isn't all that easy to pin down. Even the end of a war! 

You'd think we'd all notice and agree on when bombs stopped falling and bullets stopped flying, but sometimes, after major battles are done and a peace agreement has been made, there can still be minor skirmishes far away from the main action - those still fighting haven't yet heard the good news that they can stop!!

And to some extent we cannot consider a war completely and truly over until a treaty has been formally crafted and ratified (agreed to) by both or all sides.

That's why today is the anniversary of the true / official end of the American Revolutionary War - even though British General Cornwallis's surrender to George Washington on October 17, 1781, was the effective end of the war, and even though the formal surrender ceremony occurred on October 19, 1781. Peace negotiations began in 1782, and the Treaty of Paris was signed on September 3, 1783. On this date in 1784, the Confederation Congress ratified the Treaty.


Notice that there was more than TWO YEARS between the effective end of the war and the official end of the war! 



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