John Hancock reacted to British colony policies by smuggling goods into the colonies and avoiding customs regulations.
In 1765, John Hancock, a prominent American merchant, decided to take part in local politics and became Boston selectman. At this time, the British Parliament was imposing a series of high taxes for trading in their colonies. Hancock’s reaction to this measure was to evade the payment of taxes by avoiding British customs. Consequently, Hancock’s merchant ship, the Liberty, was seized by British officials, which led to strong protests by local residents.
