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Quick Facts
- NAME: John Adams
- OCCUPATION: U.S. President
- BIRTH DATE: October 30, 1735
- DEATH DATE: July 04, 1826
- EDUCATION: Harvard University
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Quincy, Massachusetts
- PLACE OF DEATH: Quincy, Massachusetts
- Full Name: John Adams
Best Known For
John Adams was a Founding Father, the first vice president of the United States and the second president. His son, John Quincy Adams, was the sixth president.
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Play NowJohn Adams. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 08:49, May 21, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/john-adams-37967.
John Adams. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/john-adams-37967 [Accessed 21 May 2013].
"John Adams." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 21 2013, 08:49 http://www.biography.com/people/john-adams-37967.
"John Adams," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/john-adams-37967 [accessed May 21, 2013].
"John Adams," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/john-adams-37967 (accessed May 21, 2013).
John Adams [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 21] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/john-adams-37967.
John Adams, http://www.biography.com/people/john-adams-37967 (last visited May 21, 2013).
John Adams. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/john-adams-37967. Accessed May 21, 2013.
He wrote the preamble to this resolution, which was approved on May 15, setting the stage for the formal passage of the Declaration of Independence. On June 7, 1776, Adams seconded Richard Henry Lee's resolution of independence, and backed it passionately until it was adopted by Congress on July 2, 1776. Congress appointed Adams, along with Thomas Jefferson,
Benjamin Franklin, Robert R. Livingston and Roger Sherman, to draft the declaration. Jefferson would write the first draft, which was approved on July 4.
Adams was soon serving on as many as 90 committees in the fledgling government, more than any other Congressman, and in 1777, he became head of the Board of War and Ordinance, which oversaw the Continental army. In 1781, Adams was one of the American diplomats sent to negotiate the Treaty of Paris, which brought an end to the Revolutionary War. After the war, Adams remained in Europe, and from 1784 to 1785 he arranged treaties of commerce with several European nations. In 1785 he became the first U.S. minister to England.
In 1788, Adams returned home after 10 years in London, and, with the knowledge that George Washington would be the nation's first president, sought the vice presidency alongside him. Adams was elected to that position in 1789 and was re-elected in 1792. However, he did not have much sway with Washington on political or legal issues and grew frustrated with his position.
Presidency
In 1796, Adams was elected as the Federalist nominee for president. Thomas Jefferson led the opposition for the Democratic-Republican Party. Adams won the election by a narrow margin, becoming the second president of the United States.
During Adams's presidency, a war between the French and British was causing political difficulties for the United States. Adams's administration focused its diplomatic efforts on France, whose government had suspended commercial relations. Adams sent three commissioners to France, but the French refused to negotiate unless the United States agreed to pay what amounted to a bribe. When this became public knowledge, the nation broke out in favor of war. However, Adams did not call for a declaration of war, despite some naval hostilities.
By 1800, this undeclared war had ended, and Adams had become significantly less popular with the public. He lost his re-election campaign in 1800, with only a few less electoral votes than Thomas Jefferson, who became president.
Personal Life
On October 25, 1764, five days before his 29th birthday, Adams married Abigail Smith, his third cousin. They had six children, Abigail (1765), John Quincy (1767), Susanna (1768), Charles (1770), Thomas Boylston (1772) and Elizabeth (1777).
Adams found himself regularly away from his family, a sacrifice that both he and Abigail saw as important to the cause, though Abigail was often unhappy.
After his presidency, Adams lived quietly with Abigail on their family farm in Quincy, where he continued to write and to correspond with his friend Thomas Jefferson.
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Abigail and John Adams
View groupDuring their courtship and marriage, John Adams and Abigail Smith Adams exchanged over 1,100 letters, many filled with intellectual discussions on government and politics considered an invaluable account of the Revolutionary War. Abigail, a fierce advocate of rights for women and African-Americans, was an important partner throughout John's political career. The couple lived on a farm in Quincy, Massachusetts, where they raised five children. Abigail died in 1818; John died in 1826, 16 months after their son, John Quincy Adams, was sworn in as the sixth President of the United States.
Abigail and John Adams 2 people in this group
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Founding Fathers
View groupThey are American icons—they're on our dollars and coins, they are the subject of our monuments, and we live our daily lives in the world their ideas helped create. America's "Founding Fathers" include George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, Alexander Hamilton and of course, Benjamin Franklin. These men, together with several other key players of their time, structured the American democracy and left a legacy that has shaped the world. But beyond their legends, these men were human beings who led complex and fascinating lives. Learning their stories helps us better understand what made them tick, as well as their influence on our world today.
Founding Fathers 18 people in this group
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U.S. Presidents
View groupThe first U.S. president, former military leader George Washington, took his oath of office on April 30, 1789, on the balcony of Federal Hall. From that moment onward, the United States' highest office has been filled regularly by elected officials who aim to serve the people under the guidance of the U.S. Constitution. Learn more about the 43 men who have served as America's chief executive.
U.S. Presidents 43 people in this group
