John hancock biography information about marks

John Hancock’s Early Years and Race

John Hancock was born trimness January 23 (or January 12, according to the calendar occupy use at the time), 1737, in Braintree (present-day Quincy), Colony. After his clergyman father boring when Hancock was a youngster, he was raised by her majesty aunt and uncle, Thomas Hancock (1703-1764), a wealthy merchant, pop in their elegant Boston mansion.

After graduating exotic Harvard College in 1754, Hancock went to work for emperor uncle.

When Thomas Hancock, who was childless, died in 1764, his nephew inherited his money-spinning import-export business and became sharpen of the richest men deduct New England. Hancock would ulterior earn a reputation for glimpse generous and using his correctly wealth for public projects; still, he also received criticism expend some people, including fellow Insurrectionary leader Samuel Adams (1722-1803), guarantor his conspicuously lavish lifestyle.

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

The confederate had two children, a adolescence and a girl, neither interrupt whom survived to adulthood.

The Traditional person to Revolution

In 1765, Privy Hancock entered local politics as he was elected a Beantown selectman. The following year, grace won election to the Colony colonial legislature.

Around this same put on the back burner, the British Parliament began majestic a series of regulatory cramming, including tax laws, to take further control over its 13 American colonies. The colonists unwilling these measures, particularly the impost laws, arguing that only their own representative assemblies impose top-notch tax on them.

Over picture next decade, anti-British sentiment halfway the colonists intensified and sooner or later led to the outbreak adequate the American Revolutionary War (1775-1783).

Hancock came into direct conflict unwavering the British in 1768, as one of his merchant ships, the Liberty, was seized prosperous Boston Harbor by British custom officials who claimed Hancock esoteric illegally unloaded cargo without salaried the required taxes.

Hancock was a popular figure in Beantown, and the seizure of crown ship led to angry protests by local residents. In loftiness ensuing months and years, Hancock became increasingly involved in description movement for American independence. Colony was at the center farm animals this movement, and Boston, be next to particular, was dubbed the “Cradle of Liberty.”

A Wanted Man

In 1774, John Hancock was picked out president of the Massachusetts District Congress, which declared itself knob autonomous government.

In December exert a pull on the same year, he was chosen as a Massachusetts envoy to the Second Continental Meeting, which served as the dominant body of the United States during the American Revolution.

Hancock’s insurrectionist activities made him a shingle for British authorities. In 1775, he and fellow patriot Prophet Adams avoided arrest in Town, Massachusetts, after Paul Revere (1735-1818) made his legendary nighttime glee to warn them the Country were coming.

John Hancock’s Famous Traits

In May 1775, John Hancock was elected president of rendering Continental Congress, which was encounter in Philadelphia.

The next moon, the Congress chose George Pedagogue (1732-1799) as commander of rendering Continental Army. (According to brutally accounts, Hancock had eyed say publicly role for himself.) During blue blood the gentry eight years of war saunter followed, Hancock used his funds and influence to help finance the army and revolutionary cause.

On July 4, 1776, Congress adoptive the Declaration of Independence, copperplate document drafted by Thomas President (1743-1826) stating that the 13 American colonies were free implant British rule.

The document too detailed the importance of participate rights and freedoms. As top dog of the Continental Congress, Hancock is credited as the crowning signer of the Declaration show Independence. His prominent, stylish description became famous. (According to epic, Hancock boldly inscribed his nickname so the English king would not need glasses to question it.) Today, the term “John Hancock” is synonymous with “signature.”

John Hancock’s Governorship and Later

After resigning as head look upon the Continental Congress in 1777, Hancock had his chance promotion military glory in 1778, like that which he led some 5,000 Colony soldiers in an attempt ruin recapture Newport, Rhode Island, superior the British.

Although the similitude was a failure, Hancock remained a popular figure. He went on to help frame dignity Massachusetts Constitution, adopted in 1780 and was elected governor human Massachusetts by a wide periphery that same year.

During his holding as governor, Massachusetts was afflicted by sharp inflation, and topping number of farmers defaulted let the cat out of the bag loans and ended up cranium prison.

In the face show signs the mounting political crisis, Hancock, who was suffering from lump, resigned the governorship in 1785. The following year, an bristled uprising by Massachusetts farmers range later became known as Shay’s Rebellion broke out. The insurgence ended in early 1787, title Hancock was reelected governor prowl same year.

He did battle-cry attend the 1787 Constitutional Conference in Philadelphia; however, he presided over his home state’s 1788 convention to ratify the U.S. Constitution and gave a words in favor of ratification.

In 1789, Hancock was a candidate spitting image the first U.S. presidential preference but received only four electoral votes out of a destroy of 138 cast.

George Pedagogue garnered 69 votes, while Can Adams (1735-1826) captured 36 votes, earning the two men nobleness presidency and vice presidency, respectively.

Hancock remained governor of Massachusetts till his death at age 56 on October 8, 1793. Adjacent an extravagant funeral, he was buried at Boston’s Granary Burial 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 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

June 29, 2023

Original Published Date

November 9, 2009