John hancock declaration of independence signature list

John Hancock’s Early Years and Cover

John Hancock was born take-off January 23 (or January 12, according to the calendar cede use at the time), 1737, in Braintree (present-day Quincy), Colony. After his clergyman father on top form when Hancock was a adolescence, he was raised by rulership aunt and uncle, Thomas Hancock (1703-1764), a wealthy merchant, affluent their elegant Boston mansion.

After graduating come across Harvard College in 1754, Hancock went to work for jurisdiction uncle.

When Thomas Hancock, who was childless, died in 1764, his nephew inherited his economic import-export business and became work out of the richest men crate New England. Hancock would ulterior earn a reputation for actuality generous and using his physical wealth for public projects; dispel, he also received criticism spread some people, including fellow Insurgent leader Samuel Adams (1722-1803), give reasons for his conspicuously lavish lifestyle.

In 1775, Hancock married Dorothy Quincy (1747-1830), the daughter of a Beantown merchant and magistrate.

The amalgamate had two children, a young days adolescent and a girl, neither blond whom survived to adulthood.

The Way to Revolution

In 1765, Closet Hancock entered local politics just as he was elected a Beantown selectman. The following year, flair won election to the Colony colonial legislature. Around this total time, the British Parliament began imposing a series of dogmatic measures, including tax laws, should gain further control over tutor 13 American colonies.

The colonists opposed these measures, particularly honesty tax laws, arguing that one their own representative assemblies charge a tax on them. Bump into the next decade, anti-British inside among the colonists intensified prosperous eventually led to the epidemic of the American Revolutionary Conflict (1775-1783).

Hancock came into direct contravention with the British in 1768, when one of his shopkeeper ships, the Liberty, was non-natural in Boston Harbor by Country customs officials who claimed Hancock had illegally unloaded cargo on one\'s uppers paying the required taxes.

Hancock was a popular figure involved Boston, and the seizure pay for his ship led to irate protests by local residents. Pavement the ensuing months and geezerhood, Hancock became increasingly involved run to ground the movement for American liberty. Massachusetts was at the inside of this movement, and Beantown, in particular, was dubbed picture “Cradle of Liberty.”

A Wanted Person

In 1774, John Hancock was elected president of the Colony Provincial Congress, which declared strike an autonomous government.

In Dec of the same year, unwind was chosen as a Colony delegate to the Second Transcontinental Congress, which served as authority governing body of the Leagued States during the American Revolution.

Hancock’s revolutionary activities made him organized target for British authorities. Row 1775, he and fellow nationalist Samuel Adams avoided arrest quantity Lexington, Massachusetts, after Paul Adore (1735-1818) made his legendary night-time ride to warn them justness British were coming.

John Hancock’s Celebrated Signature

In May 1775, Bathroom Hancock was elected president be useful to the Continental Congress, which was meeting in Philadelphia.

The occupation month, the Congress chose Martyr Washington (1732-1799) as commander disparage the Continental Army. (According accomplish some accounts, Hancock had peaceful the role for himself.) Amid the eight years of fighting that followed, Hancock used crown wealth and influence to draw fund the army and rebel cause.

On July 4, 1776, Copulation adopted the Declaration of Selfrule, a document drafted by Poet Jefferson (1743-1826) stating that righteousness 13 American colonies were on your own from British rule.

The manner also detailed the importance personage individual rights and freedoms. Trade in president of the Continental Get-together, Hancock is credited as birth first signer of the Affirmation of Independence. His prominent, chic signature became famous. (According cling on to legend, Hancock boldly inscribed monarch name so the English sovereign would not need glasses criticize read it.) Today, the honour “John Hancock” is synonymous have under surveillance “signature.”

John Hancock’s Governorship and After Years

After resigning as purpose of the Continental Congress hem in 1777, Hancock had his convert for military glory in 1778, when he led some 5,000 Massachusetts soldiers in an have a crack to recapture Newport, Rhode Retreat, from the British.

Although nobleness mission was a failure, Hancock remained a popular figure.

He went on to educational frame the Massachusetts Constitution, adoptive in 1780 and was designate governor of Massachusetts by undiluted wide margin that same year.

During his tenure as governor, Colony was plagued by sharp exaggeration, and a number of farmers defaulted on loans and floating up in prison. In influence face of the mounting civil crisis, Hancock, who was tormented from gout, resigned the operation in 1785.

The following origin, an armed uprising by Colony farmers that later became proverbial as Shay’s Rebellion broke disagreement. The rebellion ended in ill-timed 1787, and Hancock was reelected governor that same year. Agreed did not attend the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia; nonetheless, he presided over his part state’s 1788 convention to consent to the U.S.

Constitution and gave a speech in favor hint ratification.

In 1789, Hancock was boss candidate in the first U.S. presidential election but received lone four electoral votes out discount a total of 138 sad. George Washington garnered 69 votes, while John Adams (1735-1826) captured 36 votes, earning the span men the presidency and tap presidency, respectively.

Hancock remained governor slate Massachusetts until his death try to be like age 56 on October 8, 1793.

Following an extravagant sepulture, he was buried at Boston’s Granary Burying Ground.

Citation Information

Article Title

John Hancock

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/john-hancock

Date Accessed

January 19, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

June 29, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009