Tuesday, February 21, 2012

The Life of John Adams

The Life of John Adams
President John Adams :

John Adams ( October 30 of 1735 - July 4 of 1826 ) was the second President of the United States .  It is considered one of the founding fathers of the country . 
Adams came to prominence in the early stages of the American Revolution .  As a delegate from Massachusetts to the Continental Congress , played a major role in persuading Congress to declare independence, and helped Thomas Jefferson in the drafting of the Declaration of Independence of the United States in 1776 .  As a representative of Congress in Europe , was one of the main negotiators of the Treaty of Paris (1783) with Great Britain , and one of the main responsible for obtaining important loans from bankers of Amsterdam .  Political theorist and historian, Adams wrote to a large extent the state constitution of Massachusetts in 1780 , but was in Europe when the federal Constitution was drafted on similar principles.  One of his greatest roles was given the choice of people to different positions: in 1775 , appointed George Washington as commander in chief of the Continental Army , and, twenty years later, he appointed John Marshall as Chief Justice of U.S. 
 Adams's revolutionary credentials secured him two terms as vice president of George Washington and his own election in 1796 as the second president of the nation.  During his presidency, met with fierce attacks by the Democratic-Republican Party of Thomas Jefferson and the dominant faction of his own party, the Federalist Party led by his arch-enemy Alexander Hamilton .  Adams signed the Sedition Acts controversial and foreign, and built the army and the navy especially in the context of the undeclared naval war (called " Quasi War ") with France, 1798 - 1800 .  The great achievement of his presidency was the peaceful resolution of the Quasi-War against hawkish opposition of Hamilton. 

 In 1800 Adams was defeated for reelection by Thomas Jefferson and retired to Massachusetts .  He later resumed his friendship with Jefferson.  He and his wife, Abigail Adams , founded a family line of politicians, diplomats and historians in the United States.  He was the father of John Quincy Adams , sixth President of the United States.  On July 4th of 1826 died at age 90, the day of the 50th Anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.  That same day, hours before, had died Thomas Jefferson .  Ironically, John Adams last words were: "Thomas Jefferson is alive". 

 His achievements have received greater recognition in modern times, although their contributions were not initially as celebrated as those of the other Founding Fathers.