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Why is it that so many Americans have not heard of John Dickinson?
John Dickinson of Pennsylvania and Delaware was an early leader of the resistance to British rule in the American colonies. In fact, to many, he was the most prominent figure in the struggle for independence, though his Quaker-influenced opposition to violence kept him from signing one of its most famous documents in July 1776. Still, Dickinson, one of the wealthiest men in the colonies, did more to promote the cause behind it than almost anyone else, not only as the lead draftsman in all the national Congresses, but in his popular writing. His hugely influential Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania educated colonists about their rights and instructed them in how to defend those rights in non-violent ways. In essence he taught the colonists to think of themselves as Americans, united in a common cause. Despite his refusal to sign the Declaration of Independence, he continued to serve the nation in a number of capacities--in Congress, as governor of Delaware and Pennsylvania, as president of the Annapolis Convention, as delegate to the Federal Convention, and as president of the Delaware constitutional convention. Because of his close association with Quakerism, he also took stances unlike any other major figure of his day, making him among the first to advocate civil disobedience as a form of protest, freeing his slaves and embracing abolitionism, advocating rights for women, Indians, prisoners, and the poor. He nonetheless volunteered for active service in the Delaware militia during the War of Independence.
Despite the key part he played in the country's founding, few Americans today have heard of John Dickinson. Early chroniclers and historians, seeking to create a patriotic narrative and taking their cues from his political enemies, cast him as a coward and Loyalist for not signing the Declaration. Many later historians have simply accepted and echoed this distorted and dismissive view. Jane Calvert's fascinating, authoritative, and accessible biography, the first complete account of Dickinson's life and work, restores him to a place of prominence in the nation's formative years.
Contents
Introduction
Prologue: "The most distinguished of patriots":
Congress Remembers John Dickinson, February 1808
Chapter One: "Nursd in the Arms of Liberty":
Youth and Education, 1732-1750
Chapter Two: "The Noblest Aim of Human Abilities & Industry":
Legal Training in London, 1753-1757
Chapter Three: "Defending the Innocent & redressing the Injurd":
Practicing Law in Philadelphia, 1757-1759
Chapter Four: "Congratulate me on my Salvation":
Election to Public Office, 1759-1764
Chapter Five: "Created in us by the decrees of Providence":
The Stamp Act Resistance, 1765-1766
Chapter Six: "By uniting We stand, by dividing We fall":
The Townshend Acts and the Rise of the Farmer, 1767-1768
Chapter Seven: "Pursue moderate measures with vigour":
Leader of the Resistance, 1769-1773
Chapter Eight: "Freedom or an honorable Death":
The Continental Congresses, 1774-1775
Chapter Nine: "As the rock among the waves":
Supporting America Against Americans, 1776-1777
Chapter Ten: "From the Mist of Doubts to the Sunshine of Belief":
A Turn Towards Quakerism and a Return to Politics, 1778-1781
Chapter Eleven: "How unexpected & distressing this Event":
President of Delaware, 1781-1782
Chapter Twelve: "Through a Wilderness of Difficulties":
President of Pennsylvania, 1782-1785
Chapter Thirteen: "A labour of public love":
Reconstituting the People, 1786-1793
Chapter Fourteen: "I love Mankind":
A Citizen Activist, 1794-1799
Chapter Fifteen: "A constant Watchman for the public Interest":
A Politician Behind the Scenes, 1800-1808
Epilogue: "My name remembered by Posterity":
The Dismantling of a Legacy, 1808-2023
Index
