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  Adams, John
CANDIDATE DETAILS
AffiliationFederalist  
<-  1816-01-01  
 
NameJohn Adams
Address135 Adams Street
Quincy, Massachusetts , United States
EmailNone
WebsiteNone
Born October 30, 1735
DiedJuly 04, 1826 (90 years)
ContributorJake
Last ModifedNJLBT
Feb 17, 2021 10:19am
Tags Caucasian - Married - Unitarian - Straight -
InfoLearned and thoughtful, John Adams was more remarkable as a political philosopher than as a politician. “People and nations are forged in the fires of adversity,” he said, doubtless thinking of his own as well as the American experience.

Adams was born in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1735. A Harvard-educated lawyer, he early became identified with the patriot cause; a delegate to the First and Second Continental Congresses, he led in the movement for independence.

During the Revolutionary War he served in France and Holland in diplomatic roles, and helped negotiate the treaty of peace. From 1785 to 1788 he was minister to the Court of St. James’s, returning to be elected Vice President under George Washington.

Adams’ two terms as Vice President were frustrating experiences for a man of his vigor, intellect, and vanity. He complained to his wife Abigail, “My country has in its wisdom contrived for me the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived.”

When Adams became President, the war between the French and British was causing great difficulties for the United States on the high seas and intense partisanship among contending factions within the Nation.

His administration focused on France, where the Directory, the ruling group, had refused to receive the American envoy and had suspended commercial relations.

Adams sent three commissioners to France, but in the spring of 1798 word arrived that the French Foreign Minister Talleyrand and the Directory had refused to negotiate with them unless they would first pay a substantial bribe. Adams reported the insult to Congress, and the Senate printed the correspondence, in which the Frenchmen were referred to only as “X, Y, and Z.”

The Nation broke out into what Jefferson called “the X. Y. Z. fever,” increased in intensity by Adams’s exhortations. The populace cheered itself hoarse wherever the President appeared. Never had the Federalists been so popular.

Congress appropriated money to complete three new frigates and to build additional ships, and authorized the raising of a provisional army. It also passed the Alien and Sedition Acts, intended to frighten foreign agents out of the country and to stifle the attacks of Republican editors.

President Adams did not call for a declaration of war, but hostilities began at sea. At first, American shipping was almost defenseless against French privateers, but by 1800 armed merchantmen and U.S. warships were clearing the sea-lanes.

Despite several brilliant naval victories, war fever subsided. Word came to Adams that France also had no stomach for war and would receive an envoy with respect. Long negotiations ended the quasi war.

Sending a peace mission to France brought the full fury of the Hamiltonians against Adams. In the campaign of 1800 the Republicans were united and effective, the Federalists badly divided. Nevertheless, Adams polled only a few less electoral votes than Jefferson, who became President.

On November 1, 1800, just before the election, Adams arrived in the new Capital City to take up his residence in the White House. On his second evening in its damp, unfinished rooms, he wrote his wife, “Before I end my letter, I pray Heaven to bestow the best of Blessings on this House and all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise Men ever rule under this roof.”

Adams retired to his farm in Quincy. Here he penned his elaborate letters to Thomas Jefferson. Here on July 4, 1826, he whispered his last words: “Thomas Jefferson survives.” But Jefferson had died at Monticello a few hours earlier.

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JOB APPROVAL POLLS
DateFirmApproveDisapproveDon't Know
06/13/2007-06/24/2007 Rasmussen Reports 74.00% ( 0.0) 9.00% ( 0.0) 16.00% ( 0.0)

BOOKS
Title Purchase Contributor
John Adams  Purchase Homegrown Democrat 

EVENTS
Start Date End Date Type Title Contributor

NEWS
Date Category Headline Article Contributor
Apr 20, 2008 12:00am Commentary Sorry, HBO. John Adams Wasn't That Much of a Hero.  Article RP 

DISCUSSION
Importance? 9.80000 Average

FAMILY
Wife Abigail Quincy Smith Adams Nov 01, 1764-Oct 28, 1818
Daughter Abigail "Nabby" Adams Smith 1765-1813
Son John Quincy Adams 1767-1848
Grandson George Washington Adams 1801-1829
Grandson John Adams, II 1803-1834
Grandson Charles Francis Adams, Sr. 1807-1886
Granddaughter Louisa Catherine Adams 1811-1812
Daughter Susanna Adams 1768-1770
Son Charles Adams 1770-1800
Son Thomas Boylston Adams 1772-1832

INFORMATION LINKS
John Adams - Death of George Washington (December 19, 1799)  Discuss
John Adams - First Annual Message (November 22, 1797)  Discuss
John Adams - Fourth Annual Message (November 22, 1800)  Discuss
John Adams - Proclamation of Day of Fasting, Humiliation and Prayer (March 23, 1798)  Discuss
John Adams - Proclamation of Pardons to Those Engaged in Fries Rebellion (May 21, 1800)  Discuss
John Adams - Second Annual Message (December 8, 1798)  Discuss
John Adams - Third Annual Message (December 3, 1799)  Discuss
President John Adams Inaugural Address March 4, 1797  Discuss
XYZ Affair - John Adams  Discuss
RACES
  12/03/1800 US President Lost 23.55% (-2.90%)
  11/13/1800 US President - National Vote Lost 38.57% (-22.86%)
  11/08/1800 SC US President Lost 44.23% (-11.54%)
  11/04/1800 US Vice President Lost 32.02% (-3.94%)
  11/03/1800 NC US President Lost 48.73% (-2.53%)
  11/01/1800 NY US President Lost 43.15% (-13.70%)
  11/01/1800 VT US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/01/1800 MA US President Won 80.09% (+60.17%)
  11/01/1800 NH US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/01/1800 NJ US President Won 71.70% (+43.40%)
  11/01/1800 DE US President Won 68.97% (+37.93%)
  11/00/1800 CT US President Won 84.48% (+68.97%)
  11/00/1800 KY US President Lost 0.00% (-100.00%)
  11/00/1800 MD US President Lost 48.62% (-2.76%)
  11/00/1800 RI US President Won 52.15% (+4.30%)
  11/00/1800 VA US President Lost 22.72% (-54.57%)
  11/00/1800 PA US President Lost 36.73% (-26.53%)
  05/03/1800 US President - F Caucus Won 50.00% (+0.00%)
  12/07/1796 U.S. President Won 25.72% (+1.09%)
  11/13/1796 US President - National Vote Won 53.45% (+6.90%)
  11/08/1796 SC US President Lost 20.95% (-55.41%)
  11/07/1796 NC US President Lost 0.00% (-100.00%)
  11/07/1796 MA US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/04/1796 PA US President Lost 49.82% (-0.36%)
  11/01/1796 DE US President Won 65.52% (+31.03%)
  11/01/1796 NJ US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/01/1796 NY US President Won 85.00% (+70.00%)
  11/01/1796 RI US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/01/1796 VT US President Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  11/00/1796 CT US President Won 50.00% (+22.22%)
  11/00/1796 VA US President Lost 40.23% (-19.53%)
  11/00/1796 KY US President Lost 0.00% (-100.00%)
  11/00/1796 MD US President Won 53.16% (+6.32%)
  11/00/1796 NH US President Won 79.14% (+58.29%)
  12/05/1792 U.S. President Lost 29.17% (-20.83%)
  11/06/1792 US Vice President Won 58.33% (+20.45%)
  02/04/1789 U.S. President Lost 24.64% (-25.36%)
  02/04/1789 US Vice President Won 48.57% (+35.71%)
  12/18/1788 MA District 1 Lost 1.86% (-48.85%)
  02/24/1785 US Ambassador to the United Kingdom Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  02/01/1785 US Ambassador to England Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  01/01/1781 US Ambassador to the Netherlands Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  12/31/1777 MA Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  12/31/1776 MA Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  12/31/1775 MA Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  12/31/1774 MA Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
  09/01/1774 MA Continental Congress Won 100.00% (+100.00%)
ENDORSEMENTS