JOHN ADAMS

ABOUT

• Born October 30, 1735
• Lived in Massachusetts
• 2 younger brothers
• Direct ancestor of Puritans

EDUCATION

• His parents wanted a formal education for him
• Age six went to Dame school
• Latin school
• Harvard at age 16

LIFE BEFORE REVOLUTION

• After Harvard he was a teacher
• The became a well known lawyer
• Married his 3rd cousin Abigail Smith in 1744
• They had 6 children

REVOLUTION

• Very involved and helped spark and win the war against Britain
• Helped Jefferson write the Declaration of Independence

POLITICAL BACKROUND

• Commissioner to France
• Ambassador to Holland and Great Britain
• First Vice President of the U.S. in 1789

ELECTION

• John Adams ran against Thomas Jefferson and won 71-68
• Federalist vs Democratic Republican Party
• Adams did not campaign referring to it as a "Silly and wicked game"
• Minnesota was not a state

Untitled Slide

STATE OF UNION

• His first State of Union was in 1797
• European aggression towards US merchant vessels was rising. He wanted to avoid war.

CONT.

• He mentioned the unfavorable treaties but said they were necessary to build up America
• Wanted to avoid nation debt and wanted to raise taxes to mobilize an army to defend European colonialism.

FUN FACT

• Jefferson wanted John Adams to write the Declaration of independence
• Washington did not like John Adams and did not involve him in any of his decisions as president
• Jefferson and Adams were good friends and then turned bitter rivals actually died on the same day