John Adams

John Adams
2nd President of the United States
Term of office March 4, 1797 - March 4, 1801
Political party	Federalist
Vice President	Thomas Jefferson
Preceded by	George Washington
Succeeded by	Thomas Jefferson
1st Vice-President of the United States
Term of office April 21, 1789 - March 4, 1797
Political party	Federalist
President	George Washington
Succeeded by	Thomas Jefferson
Born	October 30, 1735 Quincy, Massachusetts
Died	July 4, 1826 Quincy, Massachusetts
Spouse	Abigail Smith Adams
Religion	Unitarian

John Adams (October 30, 1735 - July 4, 1826) is one of America's Founding Fathers, serving as George Washington's Vice President from 1789 to 1797, and as the second President of the United States of America, serving a single term from 1797 to 1801. In terms of party affilation, Adams was a Federalist, and was the only Federalist to serve as President. Adams ran for re-election in the Presidential election of 1800 but was defeated by Thomas Jefferson in the latter's "Revolution of 1800."

Early life and political career

John Adams was born on October 30, 1735, in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts. His father was also named John, his mother was Susanna Adams and his son was John Quincy Adams, a later President in his own right.

Adams attended Harvard and, after a stint as a schoolmaster in Worchester, Massachusetts, took up the practice of law in Boston. In 1765, Adams wrote tracts such as the Braintree Instructions, which argued against the British Stamp Act. His cousin, Samuel Adams, attracted far more notice during the Stamp Act crisis, leading demonstrations and using far more colorful language (there would later be some confusion regarding John and Samuel. When John was sent to France by the Continental Congress on a diplomatic mission, the French initally thought he was the "famous Adams," that is, Samuel Adams). In the wake of the Boston Massacre in 1770, Adams represented the British troops, arguing that all Englishmen (and many colonists still thought of themselves as Englishmen at this point) deserved a vigorous defense.

In 1774, after the crisis brought on by the Boston Tea Party and the resulting Coercive Acts, Adams became an advocate for American independence. Adams was one of Massachusetts’s representatives to the Continental Congress. He attracted the notice of other delegates at the Second Continental Congress as one of the few to argue for independence at this early date.

Declaring Independence

In 1776 Adams was appointed, with Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, to draft a Declaration of Independence. Adams realized that Jefferson was much more gifted in terms of self-expression than he was, and the document was composed mostly by the Virginian. However, Adams did have a great deal of input, looking over drafts of the document. The Declaration that the two submitted falls into two parts. The first, which was heavily cribbed from English political philosopher John Locke, was a statement of political principles and of the need for colonies to sever their ties with England. The second part is a list of complaints against the Crown, justifying the actions of the Continental Congress.

Adams served the Continental Congress as a diplomat, remaining abroad for a decade, from 1778 to 1788. He served in Paris with Benjamin Franklin (whom he did not get along with) and was later posted to the Netherlands, where he secured a large war loan to help the patriot cause. Adams chaired the American delegation that drew up the Treaty of Paris in 1783, which formally ended the American Revolution. However, other than the recognition of American Independence and the establishment of boundaries, most the treaty's provisions were not honored by either party.

Vice President and President

Adams returned home after the adoption of the Constitution. He served as the first vice president in the U.S. history from 1789 to 1797. George Washington's decision to retire from public life set the stage for the first truly partisan presidential election. Alexander Hamilton was the true leader of the Federalists. However he made many political enemies during his tenure as Secretary of the Treasury. The Federalists decided to run Adams as their presidenal candidate and Thomas Pinckney for the office of vice-president. The Republicans selected their leader, Thomas Jefferson for president and Aaron Burr as vice-President. Adams won the bitterly contestedPresidential Election of 1796, garnering 71 electoral votes to Jefferson's 68, and became president in his own right. However, in 1796 electors did not indicate which office they were voting for. By coming in second to Adams, Jefferson became his vice-president. Before the 1804 election, the twelfth amendment would require electors to designate which office they were voting for. Jefferson spent much of his time as vice-president attacking Adams, even going so far as to hire journalists to write scurrilous editorials about the President. Adam’s unpopularity while in office contributed to his defeat to Jefferson in 1800.

Death

He died July 4, 1826 at the age of 90 in Quincy, Massachusetts only a few hours after the death of Thomas Jefferson. Both men died on the 50th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Only one signer of the Declaration (Charles Carroll) outlived him.. Adams was the first President of the United States to live in the White House.

Legacy

In a October 2000 survey of 132 prominent professors of history, law, and political science, President John Adams was grouped in the "Above Average" group, ranked 13th, with a mean score of 3.36 out of 5.00.

It was John Adams whose quote has been inscribed upon the mantle in the white house dinning room:

"I Pray Heaven to Bestow the Best Blessings on this house and on all that shall hereafter inhabit it. Let none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof."

Christian Faith

Similar to Washington, Adams believed in the friendship of government and religion:

*“We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge or gallantry would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution is designed only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for any other. ”

• John Adams once wrote in a letter to Dr. Benjamin Rush, "I have been a church-going animal for seventy-six years, and it has been alleged as proof of my hypocrisy."

• John Adams also said another time "Ask me not whether I am Protestant, Calvinistic or Armenian, as far as they are christians, I wish to be a fellow disciple with them all."

Noteable Quotes

• "Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passion, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence."

• "Great is the guilt of an unnecessary war."