#12: John Hancock’s Signature Hid a Merchant’s Power
John Hancock did not become one of colonial America’s wealthiest men by signing his name in enormous letters. He inherited a prosperous mercantile business from his uncle Thomas Hancock, along with ships, warehouses, commercial contacts, and a considerable fortune. That money gave him influence long before the Declaration of Independence made his handwriting famous. Hancock used part of his wealth to support resistance activities and became an important political figure in Massachusetts, working alongside men such as Samuel Adams even when their relationship was not always comfortable.
