John Dickinson was born on November 2, 1732. He is considered as one of the Founding Fathers of the United States of America.
Dickinson was also a solicitor and famous politician from Philadelphia. But he also served in Delaware, Wilmington and Pennsylvania.
He is often referred to as the ‘’Penman of the Revolution’’ because he was the author of his twelve Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, a book that was published in 1767 and 1768.
Continue reading and discover all these amazing facts about John Dickinson
John Dickinson Facts
1. John Dickinson came from a very wealthy family
Dickinson was born in a massive plantation in Talbot County, Maryland. His dad, Samuel Dickinson, was a lawyer and a wealthy businessman.
The Dickinson family had grown tobacco planters for years, and they would use slave labor to build their business empire.
In 1740, Samuel moved along his new family to Kent county, and he left the Maryland plantation and the rest of his lands to the children he had with his first wife.
John, on the other hand, grew up alongside his father, and he learned all he needed to know to venture himself in the family business. They were no longer planting tobacco, instead, they had decided to plant some grains.
2. Dickinson’s studies were truly important for him
John Dickinson sailed to England in 1753, and he studied law at the Temple in London, which was an education not many people were able to afford, an interesting John Dickinson fact.
He graduated as a Solicitor, and his father was delighted. He also established important connections with other people that would eventually help him in his future. However, John had other plans, as he wanted to join his country’s politics.
John also studied ancient languages, philosophers, and classical scholars. He was also encouraged to express himself through his writing, and he became really good at it.
The education he received, alongside his eagerness, led John Dickinson to form a solid background and this show itself every time he had to speak publicly or when he wrote his essays or letters.
The young John Dickinson had a very important future, and his political career was visible.
Samuel Dickinson died shortly after the return of his beloved son John to the United States. This meant that John inherited part of the Kent County Estate his dad had left him.
3. John Dickinson wanted to join politics
Therefore, he became a member of the Pennsylvania Assembly in 1764, and then, in 1765, he had proceeded with the Stamp Act Congress where he was a major contributor in drafting the bill.
During this time John Dickinson also wrote his essays called Letters of a Pennsylvania Farmer, which was later published as a book.
In these essays, he spoke about the non-importation and non-exportation agreements that the U.S had signed up against Great Britain.
4. John’s political ambition was big
John Dickinson met a woman named Mary Norris. She was very wealthy as her father was the former speaker of the Pennsylvania Assembly. She had inherited a sizable estate, and Dickinson thought she would be a great wife and partner.
This marriage allowed the Dickinsons to expand their social and political bonds, especially in Philadelphia, where they lived.
In addition, the combined wealth they both had amassed allowed Dickinson to launch his political career. And finally, in 1760, John was elected as a member of the Delaware Assembly.
His political career was now moving fast, and only two years later he was elected as the representative from Philadelphia in the Pennsylvania Assembly.
5. John Dickinson’s political career was exceptional
Dickinson soon became the leader of the Conservative opposition in the Pennsylvania Assembly. He soon raised his profile by going against Benjamin Franklin, an interesting fact about John Dickinson. Even though his popularity was hurt – as he lost his seat in 1764, he still managed to secure the respect of other members of the conservative fraction.
In the meantime, Dickinson placed himself at the forefront of the Revolutionary thinkers, especially during the time where all the colonies were waking up to the injustices they were experiencing.
He wrote The Late Regulations Respecting the British Colonies, and he was considered as an influential politician who was soon going to accomplish some big changes.
6. Dickinson prefered to write instead of fight
This is why whenever Dickinson felt like he needed to say something, he would grab a pen and a piece of paper and start writing everything he thought.
In 1771, Dickinson returned as a member of the Pennsylvania Legislature and he immediately drafted a petition to the King of England. And even though he, again lost his popularity in 1774 because he resented the tactics used by New England’s leaders, he still managed to sympathize with the citizens.
A couple of years later, in 1776, Dickinson wrote the Declaration of the Causes of Taking Up Arms, which was greatly approved by many.
7. John Dickinson is known as The Penman of the Revolution
Dickinson had the great ability to express himself through his words. He was then able to put on paper everything he and his colleagues thought about the ideals in which they would form the new country.
Because of the education that John received when he was younger, he was able to use all of his training and knowledge and lead the country in a new direction.
Dickinson became the President of Pennsylvania from 1782 to 1785. And in 1976, he was sent to the Constitutional Convention, making worthwhile contributions, an interesting John Dickinson fact.
Conclusion
Even though Dickinson lived for at least another two decades, he didn’t hold any more public offices. Instead, he focused on his retirement plan, which was to live in Kent and many other areas that he wasn’t able to enjoy while growing up.
He also dedicated himself to writing about politics and in 1801 he even wrote another two volumes of his work.
John Dickinson died at the age of 75, in 1808, and even though he didn’t become the President of the United States of America, he was one of the Founding Fathers.
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