John Adams: American Founder and Second President

” The guy to whom the nation is most indebted for the great measure of independence is Mr. John Adams.” That was from a delegate to the Continental Congress. How much do you understand about this influential thinker and 2nd president of the United States? Brad Thompson, Professor of Political Science at Clemson University, tells Adams’ impressive story.

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Script:

Everybody understands what occurred on July 4th, 1776: America was born. But three days earlier, on July 1st, self-reliance hung in the balance.

There was a terrific case to be made not to secede from Great Britain. It would have made perfect sense to flex to the will of the Crown, pay some extra taxes, and call it a day. They didn’t since of the words of one guy: John Adams.

At a crucial minute in the congressional argument, when the forces against independence appeared to have the upper hand, Adams increased to his feet. If we did, Adams might rank even higher than he does now among the Founding Fathers. Adams was, Jefferson stated, “our Colossus on the floor.”

If Washington was the sword of the American Revolution, and Jefferson the pen, then Adams was its engine. That consisted of Washington and specifically Jefferson, with whom he sometimes combated bitterly.

Ironically, for all his cantankerousness, his marriage to Abigail Adams stands as one of the great love stories of American history. What he lacked in excellent looks and physical stature, he made up in intellect, personal integrity, and clearness of idea.

Born in 1735 near Boston, Adams non-stop pressed himself to rise early, strive, and live an ethical life. He makes every effort– in the language of the day– for a life of virtue over vice. He initially came to public attention in 1765, when he released a stirring rebuke of the much-hated Stamp Act. For the next 18 years, he battled unceasingly versus British tyranny and for American liberty, committing his life, his fortune, and his spiritual honor to the battle.

These were not idle words. In his forties by the time of the Revolution, he didn’t battle in the war; rather, he crossed the Atlantic 4 times on diplomatic objectives, braving winter season storms, diseases such as pneumonia and dysentery, and British war ships. Capture would have suggested summary execution.

In Europe, as befit his character, he was all organization. He assisted Benjamin Franklin bring the French into the war on the American side, and he arranged critical loans from Dutch banks. When the war ended, it was Adams, along with Franklin and John Jay, who worked out the treaty in which England officially recognized the new United States.

For all these efforts, Adams was paid virtually nothing. As one delegate to the Continental Congress said, “The man to whom the country is most indebted for the great measure of independence is Mr. John Adams.”

Following the war, Adams served 2 terms as vice president under George Washington and then one term as the second President of the United States. Taking over for Washington was a thankless job. Everybody deferred to the fantastic general. To put it mildly, Adams was not given the exact same courtesy. Still, the brand-new president was able to identify his time in high office with 2 considerable achievements: one marked by something he did do; the other, by something he did not do.

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They didn’t due to the fact that of the words of one male: John Adams.

Ironically, for all his cantankerousness, his marriage to Abigail Adams stands as one of the excellent love stories of American history. When the war ended, it was Adams, along with Franklin and John Jay, who worked out the treaty in which England officially recognized the new United States.

As one delegate to the Continental Congress said, “The guy to whom the country is most indebted for the fantastic procedure of self-reliance is Mr. John Adams.”

Following the war, Adams served 2 terms as vice president under George Washington and then one term as the second President of the United States.