Thursday, March 12, 2009

President #2: John Adams

List of Facts:

Birth Date: October 19, 1735.
Birth Place: Braintree (Quincy).
Father: John Adams.
Mother: Susanna Adams.
Birth Order: He was the 1st child of 3 Brothers.
Education: Attended private schools, Received a B.A. and M.A. from Harvard
Other Vocations: Teacher, Farmer, Lawyer
Wife's Name: Abigail Smith
Children: Abigail, John Quincy, Susanna, Charles, Thomas
Political Party: Federalists
Age At Inauguration: 61
Time In Office: 1 term
Date of Death: July 4, 1826



The 2nd President of the United States of America was born on October 19, 1735. In his youth he preferred working on the large, family farm in Massachusetts rather than schoolwork. But John's parents felt that he should have a collage education. So in 1751 John entered Harvard University.

After graduating John got his first job: a school teacher. From the beginning he did not enjoy teaching, and his dislike for the job grew over time. John decided to apply for a job he knew he would enjoy. He began attending a nightly retreat in the law offices of James Putnam, where he soon realized that he had a passion for law. John began studying for the bar examination at night while he taught as a teacher during the day. Two years later he left teaching, passed the bar examination and began practicing law in Braintree (his hometown).

In 1764 John met and married a young lady by the name of Abigail Adams. She was very well educated for her time and had a high interest in politics.

Soon after John’s marriage he received an invitation to join a club called Solidality. This club was created discuss legal history and law theory. But soon the group of lawyers was not discussing history but current events.

The Stamp Act was passed by the British Parliament on March 22, 1765. Immediately Boston was in an uproar. The Stamp Act forced stamps to be placed on all pieces of paper circulated in the colonies from legal documents to playing cards. Then in 1773 Parliament passed a law stating that all tea shipped to the colonies must come from Britain. Previously the colonies had been smuggling tea in from the Netherlands. This was the last straw. A large group of men and boys, dressed as Indians, raided the tea ships in the Boston harbor and threw all the tea overboard. The punishment from Britain was very harsh: The Boston Harbor would be closed until someone pays for all the tea that was destroyed.

In Philadelphia on September 5, 1774, the First Continental Congress was held in protest of Great Britain's strict laws. John Adams was the chosen delegate for Massachusetts. Because John had seen first hand the Boston Tea Part, Great Britain’s monopoly, and many other strict laws, he was perhaps the most vigorous delegate promoting independence.

In 1776 the Declaration of Independence was signed by the Continental Congress delegates, John Adams among them. In the same year George Washington, who later became the first President of the United States of America, became the commander of the army, and the war for independence began.

After the war John ran for vice president and won. He then ran for a second term and was again elected as vice president. After his second term John ran yet another time, but this time he was elected as President. He won the Presidential office by 3 votes, and Thomas Jefferson became the vice president. Because Thomas was of the opposite political party as John was there were constant quarrels between the two.

Years later after John Adams had retired, he wrote a letter to Thomas Jefferson, his previous arch-nemesis. Thomas Jefferson replied quickly, and soon the two men had begun an extensive correspondence.

John Adams died at ninety years of age on the Fourth of July, 1826, the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. His last words spoke of his good friend: “Jefferson still survives”. But Thomas Jefferson did not survive for long, for he died at Monticello several hours later.

1 comment:

  1. Very well spoken brother Jordan! It's providential that you have written on John Adams at this preordained time, because I am learning about the very same man.

    Brother Luke Smith

    ReplyDelete