Government & political leaders
John Hancock
1737–1793
Massachusetts connection
Braintree and Boston
Hancock helped lead the movement for independence and presided over the Continental Congress when the Declaration was adopted. His large signature became famous. In 1780 he became the first governor under the new Massachusetts Constitution. A signature is one clue to a much larger political life.
You can use your device’s reading tools or read with a partner.
Your turn, historian
Find a detail. Build an idea.
- What did this person or group do? Point to a detail in the reading.
- Whose voice did this person bring into public decisions?
- What would you like to find out next? Which kind of source could help?
“John Hancock mattered because ___. A detail that supports my idea is ___.”
Follow the evidence.
This short reading is an original classroom summary. Open the source with your teacher to check details and learn more.
Read the source: Commonwealth of Massachusetts ↗Ask: Who made this source? What can it tell us? What might it leave out?