Which figure is known as the Penman of the Revolution?

• A. Patrick Henry
• B. John Dickinson
• C. Thomas Jefferson
• D. John Hancock

Answer: (B)

The idea being tested is the power of written persuasion in shaping revolutionary opinion. John Dickinson earned the nickname Penman of the Revolution for his influential pamphlets, especially Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania, published in the late 1760s. In these writings, he argued that Parliament had no right to tax the colonies without representation and urged resistance to unjust measures through lawful means and constitutional rights. His clear, reasoned arguments helped fuse colonial dissent into a coherent political stance and were widely read across the colonies, earning him the distinguished title. Other figures are celebrated for different contributions—Patrick Henry for his stirring speeches, Thomas Jefferson for drafting the Declaration, and John Hancock for leadership and finance of the cause—yet Dickinson’s fame stems from his prolific, persuasive writings that shaped revolutionary thinking.