John Hancock’s large signature became the famous symbol of signing the Declaration of Independence for America250.
Hancock was president of the Second Continental Congress when it adopted the Declaration in 1776. His signature appears prominently on the engrossed parchment, and its unusually large, flowing style made it especially recognizable. In the United States, “put your John Hancock” later became an informal expression meaning to sign one’s name.
Hancock was born in 1737 in Braintree, Massachusetts, and became a wealthy merchant before entering politics. He served as president of the Continental Congress and later became the first governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.
The popular image of Hancock signing first and saying that his name would be large enough for the king to read is widely repeated, but the quotation is not securely documented from the event itself. Hancock’s signature is authentic; the colorful anecdote surrounding it is a later tradition.