John Hancock presided over the Second Continental Congress when it adopted the Declaration of Independence.
Hancock was president of the Second Continental Congress from May 1775 until October 1777. In that role, he chaired the body that debated and approved the Declaration on July 4, 1776. He was a prominent Massachusetts merchant and an important patriot leader before and during the American Revolution.
Hancock is also closely associated with the document because his large, prominent signature appears first on the engrossed parchment. The popular phrase “John Hancock” later became an American synonym for a signature, although the document’s text was drafted chiefly by Thomas Jefferson.
George Washington was commander in chief of the Continental Army, while Benjamin Franklin and Jefferson served on the drafting committee. Those roles make them plausible alternatives, but Hancock was the presiding congressional officer.