America's Forgotten Founder: John Dickinson and the American Revolution

Although John Dickinson was one of the central figures in the American Founding, he is virtually unknown by scholars. This article makes a case for his importance and claims that the reason for his absence from the scholarship is the confusion surrounding his political thought and action. Until now, no work has explained the apparent contradiction of his vigorous advocacy of American rights, his refusal to support the Declaration of Independence, and his subsequent military service on the side of the Rebels. The argument here is that the seeming contradictions resolve and Dickinson's position in the Revolution is consistent and comprehendible when situated in the tradition of Quaker political thought.