John Hancock One of the men who helped found a nation, and free its people from oppression. By: Jake Keene 12/15/11

John Hancock's life John Hancock was born on January 23 1737 in Braintree Massachusetts to reverend john Hancock and Mary Hawke thaxter. When he was a child he was good friends with the young john Adams. Hancock lived a very comfortable life and owned 1 slave for housework. His father died in 1744 so he was sent to live with his uncle and aunt, who of which were named Thomas and Lydia Hancock. They had no other children in their life so they became an immediate influence on young john. When he was older, John Hancock had a wife, her name was Dorothy Quincy, the two had 2 children, but none survived past childhood and this devastated the couple. Later on, john Hancock died with his wife by his side on October 8, 1793.

John Hancock and school When John Hancock graduated from Boston Latin school in 1750 (the date he enrolled is not sure of), John then enrolled into Harvard University and received a bachelors degree in 1754. When John graduated the same year, he decided to work for his uncle. This was just as the French and Indian war in Canada broke out.

John Hancock's jobs When the French and Indian war broke out, Hancock had started working with his uncle in his shipping business and had started to learn more about it as he worked. Hancock was also enjoying playing the role of a wealthy aristocrat and, during this time, started developing a fondness for expensive clothes. From 1760-61 John Hancock was living in England and started building relationships with customers and suppliers. Back in Boston, Hancock took over the house of Hancock as his uncle was in his dying days. In 1764, when Thomas Hancock died, John soon inherited his business, two to three household slaves, and thousands of acres of land.

John Hancock in the revolutionary war John Hancock is often referred to as one of the many American heroes like George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and many others. But what made him a hero like them? Well here are 3 facts which made him an American hero. 1. He was one of the 55 men to sign the declaration of independence, which was adopted on July 4th, 1776, which all Americans know as independence day. 2. He was part of the continental congress, a group of men joined together by their want for independence. 3. before the war began, when the tea act was passed, John Hancock implied that anyone who supported the act was an enemy of America.

My Opinion on John Hancock I think John Hancock was a definite hero to the American people because if it wasn’t for his effort and the effort of the men of the continental congress, our country would still be under British rule as just a regular old colony as opposed to a great nation founded on justice and freedom, which is what those men were fighting for alongside representation in parliament.