This is an I-Heart podcast. Guaranteed Human.

On this episode of Neut's World, as part of Founding Father's Week, I'm talking about the lives and

legacies of our original founders and the impact they've had in our country.

On this episode of Neut's World, John Hancock was an American founding father, merchant, statesman, and prominent patriot of the American Revolution.

He served as president of the Second Continental Congress and was the first and third governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

And perhaps he is remembered best because of his huge signature of the Declaration of Independence.

He also signed the Articles of Confederation and used his influence to ensure that Massachusetts

ratified the United States Constitution in 1788.

Hancock had a fascinating life.

He was the son and grandson of ministers, born January 12, 1737.

He was sort of destined to become a minister.

However, his life changed when Hancock was seven years old after his father died,

and his mother, brother, and sister went to live with

his grandparents in Lexington, Massachusetts. Hancock's stay in Lexington was brief as his grandfather

sent him to Boston to live with his uncle Thomas and Aunt Lydia, who had no children of their

own. They wanted to have a better schooling to prepare him for Harvard College.

His uncle was one of the richest merchants in Boston

and lived in a mansion on top of Beacon Hill.

Hancock attended Boston Latin School

and graduated from Harvard in 1754 at the age of 17.

Instead of following in his late father and grandfather's footsteps,

Hancock returned to his uncles to work in his merchant business. And notice, he was graduating younger than many Americans today enter college. When his uncle died in 1765, Hancock, who was 27 years old at the time, inherited his uncle's

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