John Hancock was born in Braintree, Massachusetts on January 12, 1737. He was the son of Reverend John Hancock and Mary Hawke. The Hancocks lived in a town that eventually Quincy, Massachusetts, where John lived, and meat John Adams. "In 1742, his father passed away and John was adopted by his Uncle Thomas Hancock, who was childless and was a very successful merchant and privateer who lived in Boston." According to Wikipedia.
After graduating in 1750, he attended Harvard University and received a bachelors degree in 1754. Upon graduating, he worked for his uncle and was trained for eventual partnership. From 1760 to 1761, John lived in England while working in the ship business. His uncle had an Illness, and John took over the business hoping his uncle got better.
Uncle's Death
In August 1764, his uncle died and John inherited the business becoming the one of the many rich people in America. In 1765, he took his uncle's place in the Boston's five selectman. "He did not initially balk at the new taxes since he usually didn't pay them."According to Wikipedia. This is a picture of his uncle the one he grow up with and died.Picture was gotten from http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/ video was taken by http://www.discoveryeducation.com/
Stamp Act
His trading organisation led him to resist the Stamp Act.In May, Hancock got elected to the Massachusetts General Court. The Governor told the Court to bring the Stamp Act to justice. Parliament agreed to only impose external taxes on the Townshend.
John Hancock was also elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives on May 1768. They elected him each year to the Governor's Council, but the Governor rejected his appointments until 1771. In other words, a meeting took place at Faneuil Hall, and the citizen appointed a group which included Hancock. He had to meet with Governor Hutchinson and Colonel Dalrymple demand the removal of the troops. On March 5, 1774, the fourth anniversary of the Boston Massacre, john Hancock gave a powerfull speech reproveing the British.
?Why is his Signaturer So Big?
John Hancock's signature is the largest in the Declaration of Independence because he was the first person to sign it. All of the other following signers were afarid to sign it because their name was going to be on it and Britain had won the war. So John Hancock showed everyone he was not afraid to die and he wanted everyone to know how proud he was. He also did it so that when King George III would read it he would not have to put on his glasses to see his signature of John Hancock and King George III could reward him.
!Come Back!
In the same year, he was unanimously elected president of the Massachusetts Provincial Congress. Under Hancock, Massachusetts was able to raise bands of minutemen soldiers who bowed to be ready for battle. On short notice his boycott of tea imported by the British East India eventually led to the Boston Tea.
"In April 1775 as the British intent became apparent, Hancock and Samuel Adams slipped away from Boston to elude capture." According to Wikipedia They stayed in the Hancock-Clarke House in Lexington, Massachusetts which you can see below: Picture was gotten from picasaweb.
On May 24, 1775, he was elected President of the Second Continental Congress, succeeding Peyton Randolph after Henry Middleton declined the nomination. The president's authority was limited to that of a presiding office.
"Then he retired in 1777 due to problems with gout, but continued public service in his native state by participating in the formation of its constitution."According to Wikipedia He was then elected to the Governorship of the state where he served for five years, declined reelection, and was again elected in 1787. He served in the office until he died in 1793.
Biography
