JOHN ADAMS
As the son of a farmer, John Adams was born on October 30, 1735 in Braintree Massachusetts. Adams came from a family that has a history in Massachusetts. Henry Adams was an ancestor, his father was a deacon and councilman in his hometown, and his mother was from another prominent family in Massachusetts. Unlike so many other key contributors to the American Revolution, Adams came from a family of wealth and status. Harvard University accepted Adams at the age of 16, where he would eventually graduate with a master’s degree and was admitted to the bar. In 1764, Adams married his wife, Abigail, and they would remain together for 54 years, having 6 children, one of which (John Quincy) would go on to be the sixth president of the United States.
Like so many others, Adams first involvement in the American Revolution came after disappointment of an installed British Tax, for Adams, it was the Stamp Act of 1765. In his response, titled “Essay on the Canon and Feudal Law”, John Adams wrote that the act went against the most basic of American rights and he argued that it was unjust because the colonists deserved to be taxed by consent and to be tried by a jury consisting of other colonists. In 1774, Adams was selected as one of the five Massachusetts representatives at the first Continental Congress. In many ways, Adams can be credited with the power of the states. He was the individual in the Congress who was advocating for individual governments for each of the colonies, something that was accepted by the congress. Alongside Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston and Roger Sherman, Adams was provided the honor of drafting the Declaration of Independence, an infamous piece of American history.
Throughout the revolution Adams had his hand in nearly everything. He served on as many as 90 committees and also was in charge of the Board of War and Ordnance. After traveling across the Atlantic to help negotiate the Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary war, it could be said without a hesitation or doubt, that very few, if any, men had as much of an impact on the American Revolution than John Adams.
At the end of the War, Adams stayed in Europe to negotiate diplomatic and economic relationships with various countries, including being the first U.S. minister to England. When he returned from Europe in 1788, he ran to become the first United States President, which he lost to George Washington, subsequently becoming his Vice President. 8 years later, Adams defeated Thomas Jefferson, and became the second President of the United States. Because of an undesired war, Adams became less popular throughout his presidency and would eventually lose his re-election bid to Jefferson in 1800.
Writing letters to Thomas Jefferson became a common part of daily life for Adams after his presidency, when he lived at the family farm with his wife Abigail. The two became vast friends, all the way until Adams death on Independence day, 1826. His last words were “Thomas Jefferson survives”, not knowing that Jefferson had passed away a mere five hours before.
Writing letters to Thomas Jefferson became a common part of daily life for Adams after his presidency, when he lived at the family farm with his wife Abigail. The two became vast friends, all the way until Adams death on Independence day, 1826. His last words were “Thomas Jefferson survives”, not knowing that Jefferson had passed away a mere five hours before.