Today’s notable baller? John Hancock.
You’ve heard of him. His name gets tossed around daily, in unfortunate ways (i.e., the time that guy with the mustache sold you that thing and asked for your John Hancock on some Godforsaken contract). But who was he?
John Hancock was born in 1737 in Massachusetts. He graduated from Harvard and eventually took over his uncle’s shipping company, House of Hancock.
Britain started taxing the colonies, and rioting occurred in the form of the 1700s Tea Party movement (the original ‘teabaggers’ <—Ew, media). John Hancock boycotted tea and other British imports until the Townshend Acts (basically Britain imposing crazy taxes) were repealed.
After a few more throwdowns with the British, John Hancock became President of the Continental Congress. He also married Dorothy “Dolly” Quincy in Fairfield, Connecticut. (Not too far from yours truly.) Dolly and John had two children, but sadly.. their daughter Lydia passed away at ten months old, and John George Washington Hancock (ballin’ name) died at nine years old.
John Hancock is best well-known for signing the Declaration of Independence. This event was so volatile – the men knew they were risking everything by signing it. But John Hancock, in a true depiction of being bold and daring… or whatever they said back then (John Hancock doth own steel appendages, maybe), he signed the Declaration of Independence in large letters and with flourish.
It was crazy. People were all OHHHHHH NO HE DIDN’T. And he was all.. HATERS TO THE LEFT! Jay-Z later wrote a song inspired by John Hancock.
And in his honor, we’ve named tons of things after him. Naval vessels, a World War II ship…
(“I got boats!”)
Towns, insurance companies, buildings.
Yeah, you are, John! Fist bump?
…
Fist bump?
