John Adams example essay topic

John Adams was born on October 30, 1975, in Braintree Massachusetts on their family farm. He was named after his father who was a deacon of the church. Senior Adams was John's role model in life. His father died of a flu epidemic in 1761. Susanna Boylston Adams, John Adams mother, comparatively not much was known about her except for her fiery temper. Susanna Adams died in 1797, while John was serving his first year as president.

John had two brothers named Peter and Elihu. John's parents gave him a lot of freedom to do what ever he wished. He wrote in his autobiography that he cared little for school and enjoyed all types of outdoor activities, especially hunting. John's parents were worried that he was wasting his intellect, so his father asked John what he would like to be when he grew up, John answered a farmer. Senior Adams worked him as hard as any adult trying to teach him a lesson; he asked his son if he was satisfied with being a farmer?

John answered "I like it very well, Sir". This was one of the first cases of John's stubbornness, which he possessed throughout life. John went to Harvard in 1751, a year older than the usual student at the time. He graduated in 1755 with a bachelors of Arts degree. He graduated 15 in a class of 24 students. He had planned to commit himself to practicing law but his first job was a schoolmaster in Worcester, Massachusetts.

During his time in Worcester, he began his famous journal on January 14, 1756, and made regular entries for the rest of his life. After discarding many ideas of a new career, Adams settled on practicing law. He was a lawyer from 1758 to 1767. In 1764, John married Abigail Smith on October 25. John was 25 and Abigail was 19.

Abigail and John had four children live to maturity. She was the only First Lady to have a son become President. Abigail died of typhoid fever on October 28, 1818, just after their fifty-fourth anniversary. He was elected to the Massachusetts Assembly in 1770, and was chosen to represent the colony at the First Continental Congress in 1774.

Adams was a very active member of congress; he was engaged in as many as ninety committees and chaired twenty-five during the second Continental Congress. In 1776, Adams offered a resolution that amounted the declaration of independence from Great Britain. Shortly after congress appointed him ambassador to France. In 1781 he participated with Franklin, Jay and Laurens, in developing the Treaty of Peace with Great Britain and was a signer of that treaty, which ended the revolutionary war, in 1783. From 1785 to 1788 he was minister to the Court of St. James's, returning to be elected Vice President under George Washington. Adams served as Vice President for two terms in 1789-1797.

In the 12 month period ending in June 1797, French ships had captured 316 vessels flying the American seas. Charles C. Pinckney not only refused to recognize the problem but even threatened to arrest George Washington if he did not take control of the country. As soon as Adams became president the former wartime allies confronted Adams when he became president. Determined to avoid the open conflict which seemed to be inevitable, he sent to Paris a three-member commission who were Pinckney, John Marshall, and Elbridge Gerry.

After their arrival on October 4 they were received unofficially by the French foreign minister, Charles Maurice de Talleyrand-Peri gord, but then weeks passed with no word on when an audience with the Directory might be expected. During this time the Americans were approached by three agents of the foreign minister-Jean Conrad Hotting uer, (designated as X, Y, Z, respectively, in Adam's report to Congress). As a price for negotiations between the two governments, the French demanded a bribe of about $250,000 (to be paid to Talleyrand), and a large official loan from the United States, and an apology for certain references to France in a recent speech by John Adams. Although bribery was not uncommon the American found the proposition completely unacceptable.

In a carefully reasoned statement covering the American position, presented on January 17, 1798, the United States offered to extend to France the same privileges granted to Britain under the terms of Jay's Treaty. Talleyrand responded with an offensive proposal to treat with Gerry alone, characterizing the other ministers as unfriendly to France. Outraged by Talleyrand's conduct, Marshall and Pinckney left Pairs. President Adams, on March 19, submitted a report to Congress on the unsuccessful negotiations, and two weeks later made the commission's report public.

The details of the affair stung the American public to a high degree of shock, -especially among the Federalist-for an immediate declaration of war. Congress took steps in the summer of 1798 to respond to the French front ery-authorizing the capture of French armed ships, terminating all commercial dealings with France, bringing the alliance of 1778, and fortifying the nation's defenses. George Washington was summoned from retirement to take command of the American Army. Marital fever swept the young republic, and events might have proceeded toward a tragic climax had not Adams courageously resisted public opinion and labored for a peaceful settlement.

The small but able United States Navy captured about 85 armed vessels, mostly French privateers operating in the Caribbean waters. In 1801 Jon retired from office. He was elected President of a convention to reform the constitution of Massachusetts, but declined the honor do to his failing health. He died on July 4, 1826, were it is reported that the last words he spoke were "Independence Forever!".