
John Dickinson


Liberty, Power, Precedent and the People
While most people have never heard his name today, Founding Father John Dickinson was famous at the time of the Revolution. In 1767, he authored the 12 “Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania” in response to the hated Townshend Acts. These essays quickly became the...
Liberty Without Tumult: Understanding the Politics of John Dickinson
John Dickinson is among America’s “Forgotten Founders.” Despite authoring the most widely-read documents on American liberty before 1776, representing Pennsylvania at the Second Continental Congress, and being a primary author of the Articles of Confederation, many...
John Dickinson Put His Money Where His Mouth Was
It’s one thing to talk about fighting for liberty. It’s another thing to put your money where your mouth is. John Dickinson did just that. Despite his refusal to sign the Declaration of Independence, he was one of the few members of the First or Second...
Today in History: First Draft of the Articles of Confederation Introduced
On this date in 1776, John Dickinson presented the first draft of the Articles of Confederation to the Continental Congress. Congress began considering a plan for a new government even before declaring independence. On June 7, 1776, following instructions from...