John Hancock was the first delegate to sign the Declaration of Independence honored by America250.
Hancock was president of the Second Continental Congress when the Declaration was adopted. He signed first, placing his name prominently beneath the text. His large, confident signature later helped make “John Hancock” a common American expression for a person’s signature.
Hancock was a wealthy Boston merchant and an important supporter of the patriot cause. He had served in Massachusetts politics before becoming a leading congressional figure during the break with Britain.
John Hancock was not the principal author of the Declaration; Thomas Jefferson wrote the main draft. Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, and others helped revise it, while all 56 signers accepted responsibility by signing the engrossed document. Hancock’s prominent signature should also be distinguished from the later signatures of many delegates.