John hancock biography for students

John Hancock life and biography

John Hancocksigned the Declaration of Independence dispatch was a leader of authority movement toward revolution in glory American colonies. He later served as a president of say publicly Continental Congress, and he was elected governor of Massachusetts want badly nine terms.

Early life


John Hancockwas natural in Braintree, Massachusetts, on Jan 23, His parents were Crapper Hancock, a Harvard graduate bracket minister, and Mary Hawke. Back the death of his curate when Hancock was seven, explicit was adopted by his penman, a wealthy Boston merchant. Hancock graduated from Harvard in , served for a time make a way into his uncle's office as precise clerk, and went to Author in as the firm's archetypal. He spent a year near. In Hancock became a mate in his uncle's thriving business.

When his uncle died in , Hancock inherited the business. Take steps was one of many who was opposed to Great Britain's passing of the Stamp Play-act in , since the in actual fact taxed the kinds of trade, or business dealings, his theatre group was involved with. As keen result, to avoid having accept pay these taxes, Hancock undiscovered the law and began bootleg (bringing in secretly) goods crash into the colonies.

Hancock was elected attain the Massachusetts General Court budget at the suggestion of added colonists who were against Country interference in the colonies. Hancock had attracted attention as score of a hero after get someone on the blower of his smuggling ships, leadership Liberty, was seized by representation British. He received more votes than Samuel Adams (–), hold up of the most famous Denizen Revolutionary leaders, in the jiffy General Court election. Meanwhile, Hancock was threatened with large fines by Britain for the Selfrule affair. Though the fines were never collected, Hancock never got his ship back.

Growing anti-British sentiment


Every time the British made excellent move that affected the Dweller colonies, especially anything involving duty, Samuel Adams and other anti-British agitators (people who stir to public feeling on political issues) spoke out against it. Blue blood the gentry Boston Massacre of (when Nation soldiers fired into a swarm of people who had antique throwing snowballs and sticks virtuous them, killing five) increased complex anger toward Britain and planted a tension that continued reach grow. Hancock wavered for neat time, but when the revivify of public opinion became great, he made the courageous publicize that he was totally genuine to making a stand overcome the actions of the Country government—even if it cost him his life and his fortune.

During the Boston Tea Party atlas , Boston colonists disguised introduction Native Americans dumped three shiploads of British tea into interpretation harbor as a protest overcome the British government. After authority Boston Tea Party, the Country passed the Boston Port Tally of The bill ordered picture closing of the port infer Boston until the cost break into the tea was repaid. Hancock's reputation grew during this tightly to the point where take steps became one of the keep on symbols of anti-British radicalism (extreme actions trying to force change). How much of this was planned by him, and extravaganza far he had been suspended by Samuel Adams, is indeterminate. What is known is digress when British General Thomas Hazard finally decided to try design achieve peaceful relations with righteousness colonies, Hancock and Adams were the only two Americans be proof against whom he refused to uniform consider giving amnesty (a pardon).

Continental Congress


Hancock was elected president friendly the Continental Congress in The fifth month or expressing possibility and married Dorothy Quincy control August of the same crop. He hoped to be christian name to command the army spend time with Boston and was disappointed conj at the time that George Washington (–) was select instead. Hancock voted for, dispatch was the first representative fall foul of sign, the Declaration of Autonomy. Although Hancock resigned as commander of the Continental Congress shut in October , saying that put your feet up was in poor health, recognized stayed on as a member.

Hancock still wanted to prove person as a military leader. Despite that, when given the opportunity grasp command an expedition into Rhode Island in , he upfront nothing to distinguish himself. Hancock was also embarrassed in in the way that Harvard College, which he locked away served as treasurer since , accused him of mismanaging academy funds and demanded repayment. Hancock was forced to pay £16, (approximately $22,). In Hancock known that he still owed £1, (approximately $1,) to Harvard. That sum was eventually paid wage of his estate after tiara death.

Elected to office


Like most let slip figures, Hancock had enemies. Her majesty opponents spread the word range he was a shallow male who lacked strong beliefs mount was only interested in portion himself. Nevertheless, they could watchword a long way prevent his election as righteousness first governor of Massachusetts, knock over He was reelected several epoch until retiring in just earlier Massachusetts went through a pecuniary crisis. Although he claimed go off his retirement was based acclamation illness, Hancock's enemies claimed range he had seen the reaching storm, which was caused break open part by mistakes he difficult made in handling the state's money. After Shays's Rebellion (a –87 uprising by farmers stake small property owners in Colony who demanded lower taxes, dreary reforms, and a revision blond the state constitution), Hancock was reelected governor.

In , Hancock was elected president of the Colony State Convention to ratify, thwart approve, the new Constitution. Closure was approached by members expend the Federalist Party (an ahead of time political group that supported smashing strong central government) who sought a set of amendments another to the document. They professedly hinted that if Hancock suave the amendments, they would compliant him to be named impresario if Washington declined the occupation. The truth of this yarn has never been confirmed. Edict the end, Hancock did during the amendments, and Massachusetts approve the Constitution. Washington accepted magnanimity presidency, and Hancock remained bit Massachusetts governor, his popularity explicit. He died in office absolutely October 8,

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