John Adams (1797-1801) main page

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Early life and Career:

John Adams was born in Braintree, Massachusetts on October 30^th, 1735.  Adams, a thoughtful and intelligent young man, enrolled in Harvard University with the goal of becoming a minister.  When he got to Harvard, he found that his love of reading, politics and philosophy was better suited for studying law. 

John Adams became a lawyer and was famous for defending a British officer who was unfairly charged with causing the Boston Tea Party.  The Boston Tea Party was an act of rebellion against the British government, whose heavy taxes on tea made it nearly impossible to afford.  One night, a group of colonists, disguised as Native Americans, boarded a cargo ship full of tea and threw the tea overboard in protest of the British authority.  Obviously, if Adams defended the man who was blamed for a very unpopular tax policy, he would face heavy criticism himself.  However, Adams skillfully defended his client, and the officer was found not guilty: Adams rose to fame immediately.

Although he defended the officer, John Adams was a supporter of American Independence.  He eventually signed the Declaration of Independence in 1776.  Adams was an enthusiastic delegate to the First and Second Continental Congresses, and cared deeply about the organization of the new country.   During the Revolutionary War, he acted as a diplomat to Europe to write the peace treaty for the Revolutionary War.

            By winning second place in the election, Adams was elected to the vice-presidency under George Washington in 1787.  He served for both of Washington’s terms.  Washington and Adams were federalists, which meant that they approved of a large, central government instead of strong state governments.

What did Adams love as a young man?  How did this help him?

What did John Adams do as a lawyer to risk his popularity?  What happened after the trial?

What did Adams do to promote peace?

Links:

Adams in Harvard - http://www.news.harvard.edu/guide/students/stu5.html

The Boston Tea Party - http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/teaparty.htm

The 1st Continental Congress - http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0857555.html

The 2nd Continental Congress - http://www.infoplease.com/ce6/history/A0857556.html

The Declaration of Independence - http://www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/declare.htm

Adams from whitehouse.gov  -  http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/ja2.html