John Hancock

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John Hancock

John Hancock was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence. He did so with such a flourish that his name became a synonym for the word “signature” (United states-on-line). John was born into a middle class family. When he was eight he practiced how to write his signature. He used his family’s fortune for his fame. John didn’t hesitate when he was asked to join the Sons of Liberty. Hancock was also accused of wine smuggling (The Founding Fathers Series).
After graduating from Harvard in 1754, he joined his uncle’s firm, and ten years later he took over it’s management, becoming the wealthiest merchant in New England. He united with the protest against the Stamp Act along with the other British dictatorial measures. Hancock gained the esteem of the Massachusetts patriots (United States-on-line). Due to the Sugar Act of 1764 the commissioners sought to trap him into a technical insubordination. Hancock with stood his ground, and the charges were soon dropped.
Customs agents seized his ship called the Liberty in 1768, popular sympathy led to public demonstrations in his behalf; John Adams defended him and the charges were finally dropped. John Hancock emerged as a leading figure in the revolutionary movement. In 1774 Hancock was elected president of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress (United States-on-line). The following year he became the leader of the Boston patriot committee and an ally of Adams. British officials brought attention to John Adams and John Hancock in 1775 because of inflammatory oratory. Warned by Paul Revere, they fled Lexington just as the battles of Lexington and Concord opened the Revolutionary War (The Founding Fathers Series).
John Hancock was elected to the Second Continental Congress, John signed the Declaration of Independence and afterwards he was elected president of Congress. He resigned in 1777 in dissatisfaction over the failure of Congress to mak...