Biography of John Hancock, Founding Father

John Hancock (January 23, 1737–October 8, 1793) is one of America’s best-known founding fathers thanks to his unusually oversized signature on the Declaration of Independence. However, before he autographed one of the nation’s most important documents, he made a name for himself as a wealthy merchant and prominent politician. Fast Facts: John Hancock Known for: Founding father with a prominent signature on the Declaration of IndependenceOccupation: Merchant and politician (president of the Second Continental Congress and governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts)Born: January 23, 1737 in Braintree, MADied: October 8, 1793 in Boston, MAParents: Col. John Hancock Jr. and Mary Hawke ThaxterSpouse: Dorothy QuincyChildren: Lydia and John George Washington Early Years John Hancock III was born in Braintree, Massachusetts, near Quincy, on January 23, 1737. He was the son of Rev. Col. John Hancock Jr., a soldier and clergyman, and Mary Hawke Thaxter. John had all the advantages of a life of privilege, by virtue of both money and lineage. When John was seven years old, his father died, and he was sent to Boston to live with his uncle, Thomas Hancock. Thomas occasionally worked as a smuggler, but over the years, he built up a successful and legitimate mercantile trading operation. He had established profitable contracts with the British government, and when John came to live with him, Thomas was one of the richest men in Boston. John Hancock spent much of his youth learning the family business, and eventually enrolled in Harvard College. Once he graduated, he went to work for Thomas. The firm’s profits, particularly during the French and Indian War, allowed John to live comfortably, and he developed a fondness for finely tailored clothes. For a few years, John lived in London, serving as a company representative, but he returned to the colonies in 1761 because of Thomas’ failing health. When Thomas died childless in 1764, he left his entire fortune to John, making him one of the richest men in the colonies overnight. Political Tensions Grow During the 1760s, Britain was in significant debt. The empire had just emerged from the Seven Years War, and needed to increase revenue quickly. As a result, a series of taxation acts were levied against the colonies. The Sugar Act of 1763 sparked anger in Boston, and men like Samuel Adams became outspoken critics of the legislation. Adams and others argued that only colonial assemblies had the authority to levy taxes upon the North American colonies; because the colonies had no representation in Parliament, Adams said, that governing body wasnt entitled to tax colonists. In early 1765, Hancock was elected to the Boston Board of Selectmen, the city’s governing body. Just a few months later, Parliament passed the Stamp Act, which levied a tax upon any sort of legal document—wills, property deeds, and more—leading to enraged colonists rioting in the streets. Hancock disagreed with Parliament’s actions, but initially believed that the right thing for colonists to do was pay taxes as ordered. Eventually, however, he took a less moderate position, openly disagreeing with taxation laws. He participated in a vocal and public boycott of British imports, and when the Stamp Act was repealed in 1766, Hancock was elected to the Massachusetts House of Representatives. Samuel Adams, the leader of Boston’s Whig party, lent his support to Hancock’s political career, and served as a mentor as Hancock rose in popularity. An illustration depicting a group of rioting colonists protesting against the Stamp Act. MPI / Getty Images In 1767, Parliament passed the Townshend Acts, a series of tax laws that regulated customs and imports. Once again, Hancock and Adams called for a boycott of British goods into the colonies, and this time, the Customs Board decided that Hancock had become a problem. In April 1768, Customs agents boarded one of Hancock’s merchant ships, the Lydia, in Boston Harbor. Upon discovering they had no warrant to search the hold, Hancock refused to give the agents access to the cargo area of the ship. The Customs Board filed charges against him, but the Massachusetts Attorney General dismissed the case, as no laws had been broken. A month later, the Customs Board targeted Hancock again; it is possible they believed he was smuggling, but it is also possible that he was singled out for his political stances. Hancock’s sloop Liberty arrived in port, and when customs officials inspected the hold the next day, found it was carrying Madeira wine. However, the stores were only at one-fourth of the ship’s capacity, and agents concluded that Hancock must have offloaded the bulk of the cargo during the night in order to avoid paying import taxes. In June, the Customs Board seized the ship, which led to a riot on the docks. Historians have differing opinions on whether Hancock was smuggling or not, but most are in agreement that his actions of resistance helped spark the flames of revolution. In 1770, five people were killed during the Boston Massacre, and Hancock led a call for the removal of British troops from the city. He told Governor Thomas Hutchinson that thousands of civilian militia were waiting to storm Boston if soldiers were not removed from their quarters, and although it was a bluff, Hutchinson agreed to remove his regiments to the outskirts of town. Hancock was given credit for the withdrawal of the British. Over the next few years, he remained active and outspoken in Massachusetts politics, and stood up against further British taxation laws, including the Tea Act, which led to the Boston Tea Party. Hancock and the Declaration of Independence In December 1774, Hancock was elected as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia; around the same time, he was elected as president of the Provincial Congress. Hancock held significant political influence, and it was only because of Paul Revere’s heroic midnight ride that Hancock and Samuel Adams were not arrested before the battle of Lexington and Concord. Hancock served in Congress during the early years of the American Revolution, regularly writing to General George Washington and relaying requests for supplies to colonial officials. Despite his undoubtedly hectic political life, in 1775 Hancock took the time to get married. His new wife, Dorothy Quincy, was the daughter of prominent justice Edmund Quincy of Braintree. John and Dorothy had two children, but both children died young: their daughter Lydia passed away when she was ten months old, and their son John George Washington Hancock drowned at just eight years of age. Hancock was present when the Declaration of Independence was drafted and adopted. Although popular mythology has it that he signed his name largely and with flourish so King George could read it easily, there is no evidence that this is the case; the story likely originated years later. Other documents signed by Hancock indicate that his signature was consistently large. The reason his name appears at the top of the signatories is because he was president of the Continental Congress and signed first. Regardless, his iconic handwriting has become part of the American cultural lexicon. In common parlance, the phrase â€Å"John Hancock† is synonymous with â€Å"signature.† Fuse / Getty Images The official signed version of the Declaration of Independence, called the engrossed copy, wasn’t produced until after July 4, 1776, and was actually signed at the beginning of August. In fact, Congress kept the names of the signers secret for a while, as Hancock and the others risked being charged with treason if their role in the creation of the document was revealed. Later Life and Death In 1777, Hancock returned to Boston, and was re-elected to the House of Representatives. He spent years rebuilding his finances, which had suffered at the outbreak of the war, and continued working as a philanthropist. A year later, he led men into combat for the first time; as the senior major general of the state militia, he and several thousand troops joined General John Sullivan in an attack on a British garrison at Newport. Unfortunately, it was a disaster, and it was the end of Hancock’s military career. However, his popularity never dwindled, and in 1780 Hancock was elected governor of Massachusetts. Hancock was re-elected annually to the role of governor for the rest of his life. In 1789, he considered a run for the first president of the United States, but that honor ultimately fell to George Washington; Hancock received only four electoral votes in the election. His health was in decline, and on October 8, 1793, he passed away at Hancock Manor in Boston. Legacy After his death, Hancock largely faded from popular memory. This is in part due to the fact that unlike many of the other founding fathers, he left very few writings behind, and his house on Beacon Hill was torn down in 1863. It wasn’t until the 1970s that scholars began seriously investigating Hancock’s life, merits, and accomplishments. Today, numerous landmarks have been named after John Hancock, including the U.S. Navys USS Hancock as well as John Hancock University. Sources History.com, AE Television Networks, www.history.com/topics/american-revolution/john-hancock.â€Å"John Hancock Biography.† John Hancock, 1 Dec. 2012, www.john-hancock-heritage.com/biography-life/.Tyler, John W. Smugglers Patriots: Boston Merchants and the Advent of the American Revolution. Northeastern University Press, 1986.Unger, Harlow G. John Hancock: Merchant King and American Patriot. Castle Books, 2005.

Essay on Ritual and Tradition in Shirley Jacksons The...

Everyone has their own way of solving problems; however, ritual is a form that people doing one thing in the same way. It defines as â€Å"the prescribed form of conducting a formal secular ceremony.† However if the meaning of ritual is mistaken, the consequence could be unpredictable. The Lottery by Shirley Jackson gives us a lecture about a tortuous ritual. The story takes place in a small village with 300 citizens, they gather for a yearly lottery which everyone should participate. The story leads to a horrific ending by people forgetting the concept of ritual. When people think of a lottery, they draw an image with a big amount of money in head. However in the story â€Å"The Lottery†, the price is death. It starts in the morning of a bright,†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"Because so much of the ritual [has] been forgotten or discarded† (Jackson 205). How can people follow a rule without knowing it? The villagers just ignore what the signification of the ritual is; they would like being blind, just follow the process. There is a point about Old Man Warner. When people suggest canceling the drawing, he said, â€Å"‘Pack of crazy fools.’† (Jackson 208). Jackson also states his words: â€Å"lottery in June, harvest soon† (207). The drawing of death symbolizes harvest in elders’ eyes. He gets really nervous when people say they should quit the lottery because he is the oldest man in town, it’s his duty to keep the village organized. No matter what price they would pay for it. Black symbolizes death. The black box for drawing and the slip of paper with a black pot are symbols tend to the ending. The one who gets the â€Å"big price† is Tessie Hutchinson who disputes the drawing twice. She is the one not following the rule, doubts the ritual. And the purpose that the villagers doing this drawing by forgotten the point of it, is to get rid of people fall off the road, to keep their village in a traditional way, in their eyes. It is sad that misuse of rituals could lead people to death. â€Å"The Lottery† illustrates a rural town with small population doing a drawing yearly to pick one person and stone him (her) to death. People follow rituals to remember the elders or being moral; it’s not the way ofShow MoreRelatedEssay about The Lottery534 Words   |  3 Pages Shirley Jacksons, The Lottery, has raised questions in the back of every readers mind towards the destructive yet blind rituals of mankind. A reflection of ourselves is what we see when looking through the pond of Jacksons mind. The Lottery clearly expressed Jacksons feelings concerning traditional rituals through her story, opened the eyes of its readers to properly classify and question some of todays traditions as cruel, and allowed room to foretell the outcome of these unusual traditionsRead MoreSummary On The Allegory Of Shirley Jacksons The Lottery871 Words   |  4 Pages Shirley Jackson’s story â€Å"The Lottery† serves as an allegory regarding humankinds inherent to be cruel and society’s ability to inure to violence. The author’s use of a third-person dramatic narrative combined with strong themes, symbols and irony clearly supports the lesson Jackson was trying to portray. Jackson’s short story shows how easy it is to be hostile when a group of villagers with a herd mentality blindly follow an outdated tradition and that evil knows no boundaries. JacksonRead MoreResearch Paper on Shirley Jacksons â€Å"The Lottery†1141 Words   |  5 PagesShirley Jacksons â€Å"The Lottery† is a short story about the annual gathering of the villagers to conduct an ancient ritual. The ritual ends in the stoning of one of the residents of this small village. This murder functions under the guise of a sacrament that, at one time, served the purpose of ensuring a bountiful harvest. This original meaning, however, is lost over the years and generations of villagers. The loss of meaning has changed the nature and overall purpose of the lottery. This ritualRead MoreThe Lottery Symbolism649 Words   |  3 PagesIn Shirley Jacksons short story The Lottery, one of the main characters is Mr. Summers. The lottery was conducted--as were the square dances, the teen club, the Halloween program--by Mr. Summers. Summers might be the busy body of the village, but he is not the protagonist of the story. Because he represents the statu s quo situation in the village, his presence in the story is one of the most significant symbols of The Lottery. Summers represents blind adherence to ritual, as he is in chargeRead MoreIgnornance of Tradition in The Lottery, by Shirley Jackson1014 Words   |  5 Pages Tradition, defined as the handing down of information, beliefs, and customs by word of mouth or by example from one generation to another without written instruction. (Tradition) Tradition is a core trait of humanity, from the time before recorded history to present, humanity has followed traditions or customs that have been passed down from generation to generation. More often than not communities all over the world blindly follow these practices with little regard to who startedRead MoreEssay Tradition or Cruelty in Shirley Jacksons The Lottery1147 Words   |  5 Pageshave many traditions. These traditions all have certain meanings behind them; however, many of those meanings tend to be lost or for gotten. The holiday of Thanksgiving was originally a celebration to commemorate the arrival of the pilgrims in the new world and their first interactions with the Native Americans. So then why is it still celebrated today? There is no actual purpose in today’s society to observe this custom.   It has just continued to be observed because of past traditions.   There isRead MoreThe Lottery By Shirley Jackson. 1. Focus/Thesis For Your885 Words   |  4 Pages THE LOTTERY by Shirley Jackson 1. Focus/thesis for your essay on the story you are researching The traditions and the rituals of the lottery authored by Shirley Jackson seems to be just as old as the town itself, more so since most residents don’t actually recall any of the old rituals, ven the Old Man Warner, who celebrates his 77th lottery. This implies that they are archaic in some ways and they are rooted in the traditions and superstitions that seem to include the crops and the human sacrificeRead MoreThe Lottery vs the Destructors Essay examples1046 Words   |  5 PagesThesis In Shirley Jackson’s, â€Å"The Lottery†, and Graham Greene’s â€Å"The Destructors†, the author creates a story filled with symbolism, irony, grim reality, and a ritualized tradition that masks evil, which ultimately showcases how people blindly follow tradition. Outline I. Introduction II. Setting B. Time Period III. Plot A. What messages are seen inRead MoreThe Theme Of Tradition In Shirley Jacksons The Lottery1638 Words   |  7 PagesDEATH BY TRADITION Henry James once said, â€Å"It takes an endless amount of history to make a little tradition.† In the short story, â€Å"The Lottery,† by Shirley Jackson deals with the insignificant nature of humanity when it comes to traditions. Today when one thinks about winning, one does not think about the community or close relatives; one thinks about how one is going to spend the money received. However, in Jackson’s short story, â€Å"The Lottery† represents a human sacrifice by means of stoning withRead MoreThe Lottery, By Shirley Jackson2061 Words   |  9 PagesIn Shirley Jackson’s, â€Å"The Lottery,† the author demonstrates the loss of the original significance of a tradition that results from people blindly following it. For example, the author makes it blatantly clear in the beginning of the story that The Lottery, the village’s annual ritual, which involves a human sacrifice is beginning to have lesser and lesser symbolic value to the villagers as opposed to when it began due to a lack of understanding in regard to the tradition’s significance. Secondly

The Warren Commission Essay Research Paper The free essay sample

The Warren Commission Essay, Research Paper The Warren Commission was a commission that investigated the alleged slaying of John F. Kennedy by Lee Harvey Oswald while Kennedy was runing for reelection. President Lyndon B. Johnson appointed the committee so that there was merely one commission look intoing the slaying, and he wanted the American populace to be certain of what had happened. If he did non name a specific commission, there could hold been one commission from the House of Representatives and one from the Senate, and they could hold had at odds findings. He felt that if there was no decisive decision, he would be questioned as a leader. Chief Justice Earl Warren headed the seven-man commission. It besides included democratic Senator Richard B. Russell, republican Senator John Sherman, democratic Senator Hale Boggs, republican Senator Gerald R. Ford, Allen W. Dulles, former manager of the CIA, and John J. McCloy, former U. We will write a custom essay sample on The Warren Commission Essay Research Paper The or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page S. high commissioner for Germany. The commission looked at all of the grounds and took the testimony of 552 informants to the slaying a nd related events. They concluded that Lee Harvey Oswald was the exclusive bravo of President Kennedy, and that there was no widespread confederacy. They besides recommended alterations of the Secret Service and statute law that dealt with the blackwash of high superior authorities functionaries. Even though the commission found that there was no confederacy, some private citizens still believe that there was a confederacy. Besides, in 1979, a commission of the U.S. House of Representatives concluded that there was likely two gunslingers and a confederacy was? likely. ? The committee? s study marked the terminal of Kennedy? s epoch, a presidential term that was non perfect, but Kennedy had captured a topographic point in American? s Black Marias with his powerful speech production abilities. It besides marked the start of many dirts and indecisiveness in the authorities. Bibliography 1. Collier? s Encyclopedia, ? 1971, pg. 276, vol. 23. 2. The History of the United States. DiBacco, Mason, and Appy. ? 1991 by Houghton Mifflin Company, pp. 698-9. 3. Encarta 97 Encyclopedia. ? 1993-1996 Microsoft Corporation.