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McKean's first political office was deputy Attorney General to Sussex County in 1756. In 1757, appointed clerk of the Assembly of Delaware, then elected as a delegate. He would serve as trustee of the loan office. In 1772, he was chosen Speaker of the Assembly of Delaware. In 1775, a delegate to the Stamp Act Congress. During Congressional session of 1776, he was a member of the committee to state the rights of the colonies as well as a member of the secret committee to contract for the importation of arms.<ref>[http://virtualology.com/declarationofindependence/ThomasMcKean.com/ Thomas McKean, Virtuology.com]</ref> McKean was adamant that the British King had no standing with the colonies, "no right to regulate American affairs in any way."

McKean's first political office was deputy Attorney General to Sussex County in 1756. In 1757, appointed clerk of the Assembly of Delaware, then elected as a delegate. He would serve as trustee of the loan office. In 1772, he was chosen Speaker of the Assembly of Delaware. In 1775, a delegate to the Stamp Act Congress. During Congressional session of 1776, he was a member of the committee to state the rights of the colonies as well as a member of the secret committee to contract for the importation of arms.<ref>[http://virtualology.com/declarationofindependence/ThomasMcKean.com/ Thomas McKean, Virtuology.com]</ref> McKean was adamant that the British King had no standing with the colonies, "no right to regulate American affairs in any way."

A few days after signing the Declaration of Independence, he left Congress to serve as colonel in command of the Fourth Battalion of the ''Pennsylvania Associators'',<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=bjpeYo0WY3wC&pg=PA98 Register of Members and Miscellaneous Statistical Information Concerning the Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution]</ref> to assist [[George Washington]] at Perth Amboy, New Jersey.  The ''Associators'' were militia troops assembled by [[Benjamin Franklin]] in 1747.

A few days after signing the Declaration of Independence, he left Congress to serve as colonel in command of the Fourth Battalion of the ''Pennsylvania Associators'',<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=bjpeYo0WY3wC&pg=PA98 Register of Members and Miscellaneous Statistical Information Concerning the Pennsylvania Society of Sons of the Revolution]</ref> to assist [[George Washington]] at Perth Amboy, New Jersey.  The ''Associators'' were militia troops assembled by [[Benjamin Franklin]] in 1747. During the Revolution, McKean was "hunted like a fox by the enemy", and was forced to relocate his family five times.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=q54LAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA128 Appleton's Cyclopaedia of American Biography], 1888</ref><ref>[https://founders.archives.gov/documents/Adams/06-08-02-0172 To John Adams from Thomas McKean, 8 November 1779] , "... at last fixed them in a little Log house on the banks of the Susquehanna above an hundred miles from this"</ref>

 

McKean served as President of Congress beginning in 1781, after [[Samuel Huntington (signer)|Samuel Huntington]] resigned for health reasons.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=iXNkR7v0pigC&pg=PA7269 Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the Congress]</ref>  After the Surrender of Cornwallis at the [[Battle of Yorktown]], McKean worked to pass resolutions thanking the Continental Army for their service and bravery.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=WcsABAAAQBAJ&pg=PA264 Victory at Yorktown: The Campaign That Won the Revolution]</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=rWwFAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA158 The Yorktown Campaign and the Surrender of Cornwallis, 1781]</ref>

McKean served as President of Congress beginning in 1781, after [[Samuel Huntington (signer)|Samuel Huntington]] resigned for health reasons.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=iXNkR7v0pigC&pg=PA7269 Congressional Record: Proceedings and Debates of the Congress]</ref>  After the Surrender of Cornwallis at the [[Battle of Yorktown]], McKean worked to pass resolutions thanking the Continental Army for their service and bravery.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=WcsABAAAQBAJ&pg=PA264 Victory at Yorktown: The Campaign That Won the Revolution]</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=rWwFAAAAQAAJ&pg=PA158 The Yorktown Campaign and the Surrender of Cornwallis, 1781]</ref>