| Timeline |
| 1732 |
Born 2 November in Maryland |
| 1740 |
Family moves to Delaware |
| 1750 |
Studies law with John Moland in Philadelphia |
| 1753 |
Studies at London's Middle Temple in England |
| 1757 |
Practices law in Philadelphia |
| 1759 |
Elected to the Assembly in the Lower Counties (of Delaware) |
| 1762 |
Wins a seat as a Philadelphia member in the Pennsylvania assembly |
| 1765 |
Represents Pennsylvania at the Stamp Act Congress |
| 1767 |
Begins "Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania" |
| 1770 |
Marries Mary Norris on 19 July |
| 1771 |
Drafts petition to the king; daughter Sally born |
| 1773 |
Son Isaac born |
| 1774 |
Chairs the Philadelphia committee of correspondence; attends First Continental Congress; daughter Mary born |
| 1775 |
Attends Second Continental Congress, writes "Declaration of the Causes of Taking Up Arms" |
| 1776 |
Votes against Declaration of Independence and refuses to sign it; enters Pennsylvania militia with the rank of Brigadier General; son John born; authors first draft of the Articles of Confederation |
| 1777 |
Dickinson frees his slaves; serves in the Kent County Militia |
| 1779 |
Serves in the Continental Congress, signs the Articles of Confederation |
| 1781 |
President (governor) of Delaware |
| 1782 |
Chosen president of the Supreme Executive Council of Pennsylvania |
| 1783 |
Daughter Maria born; helps establish Dickinson College in Carlisle, PA |
| 1786 |
Attends and chairs the Annapolis Convention |
| 1787 |
Represents Delaware at the Constitutional Convention |
| 1791 |
Chairman of Delaware's constitutional convention |
| 1808 |
Dies 14 February |
| ~ |
Receives an honorary LL.D. from the College of New Jersey (later Princeton) |
