T5609-My Hand Trembles, But My Heart Does Not - Stephen Hopkins

“My Hand Trembles, But My Heart Does Not.”
At 69 years old, Stephen Hopkins of Rhode Island was one of the oldest men to sign the Declaration of Independence—second only to Benjamin Franklin. A farmer’s son turned shipbuilder, judge, and statesman, Hopkins had long seen the storm coming. A full decade before the Revolution ignited, he boldly declared that Parliament had no right to tax the colonies without their consent. By 1774, he famously warned his fellow delegates: powder and ball will decide this question. When it came time to sign the Declaration, Hopkins was stricken with a tremor, but steadied his hand with his other and declared: my hand trembles, but my heart does not. His courage reminds us that a nation built in boldness must be defended with the same resolve—by every generation.

Categories: American History