So King George III could read his name without his glasses
John Hancock signed both versions of the Declaration of Independence. He signed the first one on July 4, 1776. That was the version that no other delegates signed. Then he signed the second version on or about August 22, 1776. That is the version that most, but not all, of the other delegates signed and the one everyone thinks was signed on July 4th, but was not.
John Hancock was the first to sign the Declaration of Independence. He was president of the Continental Congress.He used large bold script and signed under the text in the center of the page. He said the reason he signed it large was, "So fat George can read it without his spectacles." This is why, to this day, when you sign something it is called putting your John Hancock on it.What many people don't know is that there were two versions of the Declaration of Independence. John Hancock signed the first one on July 4, 1776. No other delegates signed that version.John Hancock signed the second version on approximately August 22, 1776. This is the version that most of the other delegates signed.
The origin of the term put your Hancock on the paper is that when The Declaration of Independence was sign John Hancock's signature was very flamboyant and much bigger then the other signatures that it became iconic.
In reality, John Hancock was extremely wealthy and risked it all on the success of the American Revolution. On May 24, 1775, he began serving as president of the Second Continental Congress. This was the group that approved the Declaration of Independence.It's just the way Hancock signed his name. It was in the center, since it was the first and only signature at that time. The other 55 delegates didn't sign the Declaration until August 2, 1776, or later.
In reality, John Hancock was extremely wealthy and risked it all on the success of the American Revolution. On May 24, 1775, he began serving as president of the Second Continental Congress. This was the group that approved the Declaration of Independence. It's just the way Hancock signed his name. It was in the center, since it was the first and only signature at that time. The other 55 delegates didn't sign the Declaration until August 2, 1776, or later.
In reality, John Hancock was extremely wealthy and risked it all on the success of the American Revolution. On May 24, 1775, he began serving as president of the Second Continental Congress. This was the group that approved the Declaration of Independence.It's just the way Hancock signed his name. It was in the center, since it was the first and only signature at that time. The other 55 delegates didn't sign the Declaration until August 2, 1776, or later.
In reality, John Hancock was extremely wealthy and risked it all on the success of the American Revolution. On May 24, 1775, he began serving as president of the Second Continental Congress. This was the group that approved the Declaration of Independence.It's just the way Hancock signed his name. It was in the center, since it was the first and only signature at that time on July 4, 1776. The other 55 delegates didn't sign the Declaration until August 2, 1776, or later.
John Hancock signed the Declaration of Independence using his full name with no middle initial. He did not use any other initial than J on the document.
John Hancock did not write the Declaration of Independence; it was mostly the work of Thomas Jefferson. All Hancock did was sign it first and very boldly, knowing that by signing it the British would consider that he (and all the other signers) had committed treason.
Charles Thomson, Secretary of Congress, signed the original document essentially as a witness to John Hancock's signature on July 4, 1776. Hancock and Thomson are the only ones to sign that copy. When the document was later ordered to be engrossed and signed by all delegates, Thomson did not sign the new version.
It was the Declaration of Independence, not the Constitution. The Constitution has no giant signatures- The Declaration of Independence does -- and that would be John Hancock -- whose signature is so large in comparison to all the other signatures, that he earned the phrase "Can I have your John Hancock?" which is said in reference to asking someone for their signature!
New York chose not to vote on the adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 2, 1776. Delegates from New York were instructed to abstain from voting until they received further guidance from their provincial congress. Ultimately, New York's delegates did support the Declaration after it was adopted by the other colonies.