John Dickinson

John Dickinson (November 13, [O.S. November 2] 1732 – February 14, 1808), a Founding Father of the United States, was an attorney and politician from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Wilmington, Delaware. Dickinson was known as the "Penman of the Revolution" for his twelve ''Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania'', published individually in 1767 and 1768, and he also wrote "The Liberty Song" in 1768.

As a member of the First Continental Congress, where he signed the Continental Association, Dickinson drafted most of the 1774 Petition to the King, and then, as a member of the Second Continental Congress, he wrote the 1775 Olive Branch Petition. Both of these attempts to negotiate with King George III of Great Britain failed. Dickinson also reworked Thomas Jefferson's language to write the final draft of the 1775 Declaration of the Causes and Necessity of Taking Up Arms.

While in Congress, Dickinson served on the committee that wrote the Model Treaty, a template for seeking alliances with foreign countries, but he opposed independence from Great Britain. He either abstained or was absent from the vote on the Declaration of Independence and refused to sign the document after its passage. Nevertheless, Dickinson wrote the first draft of the 1776–1777 Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union and served as a militia officer during the Revolution. He later was elected president of the 1786 Annapolis Convention, which called for the Constitutional Convention of 1787, and as a delegate from Delaware, he signed the United States Constitution.

One of the wealthiest men in the British American colonies, Dickinson served as president of Delaware (1781–1783) and president of Pennsylvania (1782–1785). Upon Dickinson's death, President Thomas Jefferson referred to Dickinson as, "(a)mong the first of the advocates for the rights of his country when assailed by Great Britain" and called him "one of the great worthies of the revolution."

Together with his wife Mary Norris Dickinson, he is the namesake of Dickinson College, Penn State Dickinson Law, and the Dickinson Complex at the University of Delaware. John Dickinson High School in Wilmington, Delaware, was dedicated in his honor in 1959. Provided by Wikipedia

1
by Dickinson, John
Published 1766
Philadelphia printed: London re-printed, for J. Almon, opposite Burlington-House, in Piccadilly

2
by Dickinson, John
Published 1774
Philadelphia printed, London re-printed for J. Almon

8
by Dickinson, John
Published 1768
Printed and sold by Edes & Gill, in Queen-Street

9
by Dickinson, John
Published 1769
Printed by William Rind
Other Authors: ...Dickinson, John...

11
by Dickinson, John
Published 1797
From the office of the Delaware gazette, Wilmington, by W.C. Smyth

12
by Dickinson, John
Published 1764
Printed and sold by William Bradford, at his book-store, in Market-Street, adjoining the London Coffee-House

14
by Dickinson, John
Published 1766
Philadelphia printed: London; re-printed for J. Almon, opposite Burlington House, Piccadilly

16
by Dickinson, John
Published 1768
Printed by Mein and Fleeming, and to be sold by John Mein, at the London Book-Store, north-side of King-Street

17
by Dickinson, John
Published 1768
Re-printed by John Holt, near the Exchange

18
by Dickinson, John
Published 1769
Printed by William and Thomas Bradford, at the London Coffee-House