John Hancock: First To Sign, First To Invest in America’s Independence

Award-winning historian Randall (emeritus, Champlain Coll.; The Founders’ Fortunes: How Money Shaped the Birth of America) offers a glimpse into the life of John Hancock, the man most famous for his large and stylish signature on the Declaration of Independence. Not much is known about this oft-invoked figure in United States history, though Hancock was governor of Massachusetts in addition to being president of the Continental Congress, as he left little documentation and few personal writings for historians to parse in order to understand his nature and thinking. This volume looks to add more detail to Hancock’s life. He came from modest means and worked for his British Loyalist uncle after his studies at the prestigious Boston Latin, but he quickly became an early supporter of the cause for U.S. independence. He would go on to have a contentious relationship with Harvard (his alma mater, where he served as treasurer and allegedly embezzled a large sum) and to carry on a long courtship with Dorothy Quincy before they married. Most importantly, in Randall’s eyes, Hancock deserves more credit for his full-throated support of the American Revolution. This biography focuses particularly on Hancock’s major moments during the Revolution and aims to restore him to his rightful place among the most celebrated Founding Fathers.