John Hancock chaired the Second Continental Congress when the Declaration of Independence was adopted.
Hancock served as president of the Continental Congress from May 1775 until October 1777, covering the Declaration’s adoption in July 1776. As presiding officer, he signed the engrossed document prominently, making his name especially memorable in popular accounts.
Hancock was a wealthy Massachusetts merchant and an important supporter of the revolutionary cause. Before becoming president of Congress, he had served in Massachusetts politics and had been active in resistance to British authority.
George Washington led the Continental Army, while Thomas Jefferson wrote the principal draft of the Declaration. Those separate roles are why Hancock is sometimes incorrectly identified as the document’s author or military leader. His central connection is congressional leadership and the famous signature.