Rakove, Jack. “The Patriot Who Refused to Sign the Declaration of Independence.” American History (2010): 59-63. (5) Jack Rakove’s piece, “The Patriot Who Refused to Sign the Declaration of Independence”, id, honestly, a breath off fresh air. Detailing the story of the man, John Dickinson, who refused he sign one of the most monumental documents in United States history, Jack Rakove’s piece highlights an important part of American cultures, and eve the Constitution, which individuals often forget all together or bastardize – the Freedom of Speech. John Dickinson was a “prudent [man] of property”, a farmer, and a man who was very verbal about his disagreement with his fellow delegates.27 Believing that Spain or France would sense independence as a vulnerability, Dickinson stood up for his beliefs in the form of abstaining from the vote when a motion to separate their relations with Britain. Perhaps the most interesting part of Dickinson’s story is how much it has been forgotten. Though the American learning systems individuals are taught that the independence of the United States cam unanimously on the part of the founding fathers and their cohorts, but in reality Dickinson was “a leader of a bloc of moderates who favored reconciliation rather than confrontation with Britain”, a role which as been buried in the history books. This piece remains a true testament on how an individual has the ability to stand up and say what he or she believes to be morally right.