John Adams
2nd President of the United States
(March 4, 1797 to March 3, 1801)
Full Name: John Adams
Nickname: "Atlas of Independence"
Born: October 30, 1735, in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts
Died: July 4, 1826, in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts
Father: John Adams (1691-1761)
Mother: Susanna Boylston Adams (1708-1797)
Married: Abigail Smith (1744-1818), on October 25, 1764
Children: Abigail Amelia Adams (1765-1813); John Quincy Adams (1767-1848); Susanna Adams (1768-70); Charles Adams (1770-1800); Thomas Boylston Adams (1772-1832)
Religion: Unitarian
Education: Graduated from Harvard College (1755)
Occupation: Lawyer
Political Party: Federalist
Other Government Positions:
- Member of Continental Congress, 1774-78
- Commissioner to France, 1778
- Minister to the Netherlands, 1780
- Minister to England, 1785
- Vice President, 1789-97 (under Washington)
Presidential Salary: $25,000/year
Presidential Election Results:
| Year | Candidate | Electoral Votes |
|---|---|---|
| 1789 | George Washington | 69 |
| (map) | John Adams | 34 |
| John Jay | 9 | |
| Robert H. Harrison | 6 | |
| John Rutledge | 6 | |
| John Hancock | 4 | |
| George Clinton | 3 | |
| Samuel Huntington | 2 | |
| John Milton | 2 | |
| James Armstrong | 1 | |
| Benjamin Lincoln | 1 | |
| Edward Telfair | 1 | |
| (Votes Not Cast) | 12 |
| Year | Candidate | Electoral Votes |
|---|---|---|
| 1792 | George Washington | 132 |
| (map) | John Adams | 77 |
| George Clinton | 50 | |
| Thomas Jefferson | 4 | |
| Aaron Burr | 1 |
| Year | Candidate | Electoral Votes |
|---|---|---|
| 1796 | John Adams | 71 |
| (map) | Thomas Jefferson | 68 |
| Thomas Pinckney | 59 | |
| Aaron Burr | 30 | |
| Samuel Adams | 15 | |
| Oliver Ellsworth | 11 | |
| George Clinton | 7 | |
| John Jay | 5 | |
| James Iredell | 3 | |
| George Washington | 2 | |
| John Henry | 2 | |
| Samuel Johnston | 2 | |
| Charles C. Pinckney | 1 |
| Year | Candidate | Electoral Votes |
|---|---|---|
| 1800 | Thomas Jefferson | 73 |
| (map) | Aaron Burr | 73 |
| John Adams | 65 | |
| Charles C. Pinckney | 64 | |
| John Jay | 1 |
Vice President: Thomas Jefferson (1797-1801)
Cabinet:
- Secretary of State
- Timothy Pickering (1797-1800)
John Marshall (1800-01) - Secretary of the Treasury
- Oliver Wolcott, Jr. (1797-1801)
Samuel Dexter (1801) - Secretary of War
- James McHenry (1797-1800)
Samuel Dexter (1800-01) - Attorney General
- Charles Lee (1797-1801)
- Secretary of the Navy
- Benjamin Stoddert (1798-1801)
Supreme Court Justices:
Bushrod Washington (1798-1829)
Alfred Moore (1800-1804)
John Marshall, Chief (1801-1835)
Notable Events:
- 1797
- Three French agents asked for bribes to talk to the French Foreign Minister. The resulting XYZ Affair almost led to war.
- 1798
- Federalists support the highly unpopular Alien and Sedition Acts. They would later be repealed.
- 1800
- On June 11, the U.S. capital was relocated from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C.
- Congress established the Library of Congress.
Internet Biographies:
- John Adams -- from The Presidents of the United States of America
- Compiled by the White House.
- John Adams -- from The American President
- From the Miller Center of Public Affairs at the University of Virginia, in addition to information on the Presidents themselves, they have first lady and cabinet member biographies, listings of presidential staff and advisers, and timelines detailing significant events in the lives of each administration.
- John Adams -- from Encyclopaedia Britannica
- Facts about Adams and his presidency.
- Biography of John Adams -- from From Revolution to Reconstruction
- Biography written by Jim Liesenfelt for this American Revolution HTML project. Still under construction, but does contain some original material.
Videos:
1 / 2
President John Adams - From Revolutionary to The White HousePres. John Adams Risks It All for British Soldiers - a Presidential Story Ep. 21America's Presidents - John AdamsAmerican Presidents: Life Portraits - John AdamsJohn Adams | 60-Second Presidents | PBS1 / 2
Historical Documents:
- Novanglus (1775)
- Inaugural Address (1797)
- XYZ Affair (1797)
- Thoughts on Government
- The Works of John Adams (1856), 10 volumes
- John Adams Digital Collections - from the Library of Congress
Other Internet Resources:
- Adams National Historical Site
- The birthplace of John Adams and other notable Americans. From the National Park Service.
- The Best Biographies of John Adams
- In 2012, Stephen Floyd started his search for the best biography of each president. He usually has reviews of multiple biographies for each president.
- Health and Medical History of John Adams
- Medical background of each president with references. Compiled by John Sotos, MD.
- John Adams
- Streaming episodes of the award-winning HBO mini-series.
- John Adams Building
- Inscriptions and quotations in the John Adams Building of the Library of Congress. Photographs of this building of the Library of Congress are included.
- John Adams Historical Society
- Interesting resource for beginners and those that want a more in-depth understanding of John Adams.
Points of Interest:
135 Adams Street, Quincy, Massachusetts
141 Franklin Street, Quincy, Massachusetts
135 Adams Street, Quincy, Massachusetts
141 Franklin Street, Quincy, Massachusetts
Additional Facts:
- The Adams' were the first residents of the White House. They moved in in November 1800 while the paint was still wet. Mrs. Adams would hang her laundry in the East Room to dry.
- Adams was one of three presidents not to attend the inauguration of his successor. Not only was Adams disappointed in losing to Jefferson, he was also grieving the death of his son Charles.
- Adams was the great-great-grandson of John and Priscilla Alden, Pilgrims who landed at Plymouth Rock in 1620.
- Adams was the first president whose mother lived long enough to see him become president.
- Adams was the first president to have a child die while in office. His son, Charles, died of cirrhosis of the liver when he was 30.
- Adams defended the British soldiers that killed five Americans in the Boston Massacre.
- During the Continental Congresses Adams served on more committees than any other congressman—ninety in all, of which he chaired twenty.
- The only presidents to sign the Declaration of Independence Adams and Jefferson both died on its 50th anniversary, July 4, 1826. Adams' dying words were "Thomas Jefferson survives". Jefferson, however, had passed on a few hours earlier.
Quotes:“To be good, and to do good, is all we have to do.”
“A pen is certainly an excellent instrument to fix a man’s attention and to inflame his ambition.”
“I pray Heaven to bestow the best of blessing on this house (the White House) and on all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof!”
“Let every sluice of knowledge be open and set a-flowing.”
“The happiness of society is the end of government.”
“Power must never be trusted without a check.”
“Fear is the foundation of most governments.”
“There are two types of education… One should teach us how to make a living, and the other how to live.”
“To be good, and to do good, is all we have to do.”
“A pen is certainly an excellent instrument to fix a man’s attention and to inflame his ambition.”
“I pray Heaven to bestow the best of blessing on this house (the White House) and on all that shall hereafter inhabit it. May none but honest and wise men ever rule under this roof!”
“Let every sluice of knowledge be open and set a-flowing.”
“The happiness of society is the end of government.”
“Power must never be trusted without a check.”
“Fear is the foundation of most governments.”
“There are two types of education… One should teach us how to make a living, and the other how to live.”