John Hancock Influence

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John Hancock was a very influential man for our independence during the War for Independence. He was born in Braintree, Massachusetts, which is now known as Quincy, Massachusetts.1 Different sources had a different birthday listed for him. One source said that it depends on the calendar that was in use at the time, therefore, his birthday is either January 12 or 23, 1737.2 His parents were Mary Hawke Hancock and the senior John Hancock.3 The name “John Hancock” was handed down for three generations making the John Hancock that was influential during the War for Independence the third. John’s father died in 1744, when he was only seven years old.4 Mary Hawke Hancock felt that she was too poor to raise her children on her own5, therefore, she …show more content…

After this had been passed, people, including Hancock, which imported things into America, began smuggling them in without paying the required taxes. On June 10, 1768, Hancock’s sloop, Liberty, was seized by customs officers who were anxious to injure his reputation.19 The officers gave Hancock a huge fine and took him to court.20 John Adams defended Hancock in court and had the charges dropped without explanation.21 The seizure of Hancock’s sloop caused a riot because everyone liked and admired Hancock. A large group of citizens burned the government ship and beat the officers causing them to seek shelter in a boat off the shore.22 British General Gage sent in more troops to Boston to suppress the mob. The extra troops was one thing that caused the Boston Massacre on March 5, 1770.23 The Boston massacre was the tragedy that happened when the British soldiers shot into a crowd that didn’t have as powerful of weapons as the soldiers did. This was the first time that blood had been shed for the cause of American Independence. After the Boston Massacre, Hancock was the President of the committee that demanded the removal of the British …show more content…

In defiance to this tax, some colonists in Boston dumped 342 chests of tea into the harbor to which John Hancock was a happy and enthusiastic onlooker.28 It is said that Hancock made the statement, “Let every man do what is right in his own eyes,” which encouraged the colonists during the Boston Tea Party and to fight British rule.29 Samuel Adams had earlier formed the Committees of Correspondence, which was bringing the colonists closer and closer together. What actually, officially united the colonies and colonists together was when England, in retaliation to the Boston Tea Party, formed and passed the Boston Port Bill on March 31, 1774, which blockaded the Boston

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