John Dickinson
| John Dickinson | |
|---|---|
| |
| Born | November 13, 1732; Talbot County, Province of Maryland, British America |
| Died | February 14, 1808 (aged 75); Wilmington, Delaware, United States |
| Nationality | American |
| Political affiliation | Patriot; moderate reformer |
| Spouse | Mary Norris Dickinson (m. 1770–1808) |
| Children | Two |
| Occupation(s) | Lawyer, planter, statesman, writer |
| Major offices | Delegate, Continental Congress (1774–1776, 1779) President of Delaware (1781–1783) President of Pennsylvania (1782–1785) Delegate, Constitutional Convention (1787) |
| Known for | Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania; the Olive Branch Petition; work on the Articles of Confederation; advocacy of gradual emancipation; “Penman of the Revolution” |
John Dickinson (November 13, 1732 – February 14, 1808) was an American lawyer, political thinker, and statesman known as the “Penman of the Revolution.” His widely read Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania (1767–1768) argued that Parliamentary taxation without consent violated colonial rights, helping unify resistance across the colonies.
Early Life and Legal Career
Born on Maryland’s Eastern Shore and raised in Delaware and Pennsylvania, Dickinson studied law in Philadelphia and at the Middle Temple in London. Returning home, he entered politics with a reputation for careful reasoning and constitutional expertise.
From Farmer’s Letters to Independence
Dickinson’s Letters rejected the Townshend Duties on constitutional grounds while counseling prudent, lawful resistance. In the Continental Congress he drafted key petitions, including the Olive Branch Petition (1775), hoping to avert war. He supported defensive measures but abstained from the final vote on independence, believing the colonies should first secure alliances and stronger preparations. After the Declaration, he served in the militia and accepted the new reality of independence.
Articles of Confederation and State Leadership
Dickinson chaired the committee that produced the initial draft of the Articles of Confederation (1776). He later served as state executive in both Delaware and Pennsylvania—then titled President—pursuing fiscal order, legal reform, and civic improvements. A slaveholder in youth, he began manumitting enslaved people in the late 1770s and publicly supported gradual emancipation.
Constitutional Convention and Later Years
At the 1787 Constitutional Convention, Dickinson favored a balanced national government with safeguards for states and rights; when illness kept him from the final session, he authorized George Read to sign for him. He continued writing on republican virtue and public education until his death in 1808.
Legacy
Dickinson’s blend of principled argument and practical caution helped carry the colonies from protest to nationhood. His essays shaped constitutional debate on consent, federal union, and civic responsibility, earning him a lasting place among the founders.