Who is John Dickinson?

John Dickinson was born in Talbot County, Maryland in 1732. He showed an inclination toward the law and was able to study in London during the years 1753-57. Dickinson returned to America to set up private law practice in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Having studied law from the perspective of the English, Dickinson believed the British system "should work." He hoped for a preservation of the relationship between the colonies and England - albeit without the misuse of power attributed to Britain - and he even wrote papers to that end. His sentiments were challenged, however, by the Stamp Act of 1765. In response to Britain's Stamp Act taxation of colonial newspapers, commercial and legal papers, pamphlets, almanacs, and cards, Dickinson agreed to represent Pennsylvania in the Stamp Act Congress. It was he who drafted the Stamp Act Congress's "Declaration of Rights," denouncing the heavy taxation of the struggling colonies.

In 1775, Dickinson defended the right of colonists to use arms for "the preservation of liberties" in "Declaration on the Causes and Necessity of Taking up Arms," a statement setting forth that the colonists were once again fighting to regain the rights due them as Englishmen. While Dickinson's writings entreated the British government to change their methods in dealing with the colonists, Dickinson still encouraged loyalty to the British crown. In the Continental Congress, Dickinson opposed the idea of American independence - even voting against the Declaration of Independence - still hoping for reunification with Britain.

However, when the Continental Congress, as a body, determined the course of America should be independence, Dickinson supported the decision. In fact, he wrote the first draft of the Articles of Confederation. Although his best offensive weapon may well have been his pen, Dickinson joined the militia. He fought in battles in both New Jersey and Pennsylvania, beginning as a Private and working his way through the ranks to Brigadier General. Dickinson returned to Congress in 1779 as a member of the Congress of the Confederation and signed the Articles of Confederation that he had been instrumental in preparing.

Dickinson served in 1781 as President of Delaware, and in 1782 as President of Pennsylvania. He remained in office in Pennsylvania until 1788, during which time he was also the Chairman of the Annapolis Convention. As such, Dickinson was able to engineer the planning of the Constitutional Convention that took place the following year. It was here that Dickinson exercised all of his persuasive talents, supporting the idea of two legislative bodies - the House with proportional representation by population, and the Senate with equal representation, despite size - to effect compromise among the small and large states of the new country. Dickinson was one of the signers of the United States Constitution, the outcome of the Constitutional Convention.

After the signing of the U.S. Constitution, Dickinson worked for its ratification. Once again taking up his pen, he wrote "Fabius" a series of letters defending the document that would become one of the legislative foundations for the nation. Closer to home, Dickinson personally worked for ratification in Delaware and Pennsylvania, successfully securing both in December 1787.

The Stamp Act Congress's "Declaration of Rights," "Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania," the "Articles of the Confederation," and "Fabius" were all influential documents of the period. It is no wonder that Dickinson is often called the "Penman of the American Revolution." Thomas Jefferson, himself an author of high regard, noted of Dickinson that he was "one of the great worthies of the Revolution."