A respected lawyer, jurist, and public servant, William Paca was known for his quiet, razor-sharp logic and strategy—and his impact on Maryland politics before, during, and after the War for Independence. 

Born in 1740 near Abingdon, Maryland to a wealthy planter, Paca later attended Philadelphia College—today the University of Pennsylvania. Upon graduation, he studied law in Annapolis. In 1761, Paca began practicing law in local courts. As British oppression against the colonies grew, he helped form the “Sons of Liberty,” and in 1767, aligning himself with the party resisting the British Stamp Act, was elected to the Lower House of the Maryland Assembly.

Later, Paca organized local committees to oppose the Boston Port Act—the first in a series of “Intolerable Acts,” which closed the Boston port and ordered the city to pay a large fine for the Boston Tea Party. Paca was sent as a Delegate to the First Continental Congress, where he helped craft resolutions and petitions. While the Maryland Convention – still loyal to the crown as late as June 1776—initially barred Paca from voting for independence, they reversed course by July, and Paca proudly voted in the affirmative.

During the war, Paca served on Congress’ newly created Court of Appeals. In 1782, he became Governor and he was an early advocate of supporting veterans returning from war. In 1786, as a Maryland House Delegate, Paca became a leader of the Antifederalist movement. His primary objections to the Constitution– that there were inadequate safeguards for freedom of religion, press, and legal protection for those accused of crimes – were later incorporated into the Bill of Rights.

For the last ten years of his life, Paca served on the Federal District Court for Maryland until his death in 1799.