John Hancock - First to Sign, First to Invest in America's Independence

A compelling, intimate portrait of John Hancock, going beyond the flamboyant signature to provide insight into the pivotal role that he had in the American Revolution. A contemporary of Samuel Adams, John Adams, George Washington, and the Marquis de Lafayette, Hancock’s contacts read like a who’s who of the American Revolution. But shockingly little has been written about the man himself--and current biographies tend to over-rely on critical portrayals by his political opponents. Born to relatively modest means, Hancock was sent to live with his wealthy uncle and aunt as a child, who raised him as their own and prepared him to take over the family company. An incredibly successful businessman, Hancock began to get involved in politics in the mid-1760s. He quickly rose in the ranks, eventually serving as the president of the Continental Congress and the first governor of Massachusetts.; John Hancock was immensely popular in Massachusetts at the time of the Revolution, but his lack of personal writings have allowed him to be pushed aside in favor of easier biographies to tell. Through extensive research, Randall aims to restore Hancock to his rightful place, celebrated for his achievements as one of our Founding Fathers at last....

About the author

Willard Sterne Randall is a Distinguished Scholar in History and Professor Emeritus at Champlain College. Prior to entering academia, he had a seventeen-year career as an investigative reporter—during which he garnered the National Magazine Award, the Hillman Prize, the Loeb Award, and the John Hancock Prize—before pursuing advanced studies in history at Princeton University. As a biographer and lecturer, he specializes in the history of the Founding Era.

Product details

• Authors: Willard Sterne Randall, Randall Willard Sterne
• Publisher: Dutton Books
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Release: 10.06.2025
• EAN: 9780593472149
• ISBN: 978-0-593-47214-9
• No. of pages: 288
• Dimensions: 158 mm x 235 mm x 26 mm
• Subjects: Non-fiction book > History > Miscellaneous; USA, Modern history to 20th century: c 1700 to c 1900, BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Historical, Biography: historical, political & military, HISTORY / United States / Colonial Period (1600-1775), HISTORY / United States / Revolutionary Period (1775-1800), United States of America, USA, Early modern history: c 1450/1500 to c 1700, History of the Americas, Biography: historical, political and military, C 1600 To C 1700, C 1700 To C 1800, c 1765 to 1783 (American Revolutionary period), c 1783 to c 1800 (American Federalist era)