John Adams Essay example - 1315 Words

John Adams John Adams was criticized during his presidency by his enemies as well as his colleagues. Obviously, his reputation as president doesnt really bring a positive thought to ones head. But does John Adams deserve a better reputation as the president of the United States? He just did not do a very good job when it came to picking his cabinet. His colleagues messed up his reputation. On the other hand, a newspaper called the Aurora, which was publicized in Philadelphia during his presidency, continually heaped abuse upon Adams. They claimed that he was all words, but no action. Most of the country felt this way about him when it came to the issue with the war with France. John Adams was not a very popular president of his time.†¦show more content†¦It is quite obvious that George Washington had a much better cabinet than Adams did. John Adams cabinet was not nearly as witty or as intelligent than the one of Washington. Obviously, Mr. Adams did not do too good of a job on choosing his colleagues. During John Adams presidency, he ran into the biggest problem in foreign policy. The French were attacking American shipping. Hoping to resolve the problem, Adams sent Charles Pinckney, who was the United States minister to France, John Marshall, a Virginian federalist, and Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts. The mission was a total disaster. Charles Maurice de Tolleyrand-Perigod, the French foreign minister, sent three agents who demanded a bribe of 250,000 dollars as the price for making a deal. The Americans went ballistic. No, no, not a sixpence was Charles Pinckneys response to the agents. This later became known as the XYZ affair. The talks of negotiations disappeared and all of a sudden there was the possibility of war. Millions for defense, but not a cent for tribute had become the national slogan. Just three months after Adams had become president, he called in congress together for measures of defense to be taken immediately. He did not want to wait any longer. He had asked for a provisional army.(Ellis Langgeth) He also asked for the officers to be commissioned and for recruiting to begin. However, he did not call for an establishment of a large, professional army. Throughout the two years thatShow MoreRelated John Adams Essay2173 Words   |  9 Pages John Adams John Adams was born on October 30, 1735, in Massachusetts Bay. He was born in a well-to-do family of five. He is the eldest son and was named after his father, John Adams. Young Adams was able to receive a proper childhood education, as his father was a deacon of the Congregational church, as well as a lieutenant of the local militia. Despite his busy schedule, his main interest and occupation was farming. At 1761, Adams’ father passed away due to the flu epidemic. His mother remarriedRead MoreEssay on John Adams1466 Words   |  6 Pages John Adams, who became the second president of the United States, has been accused by some historians of being the closest thing America ever had to a dictator or monarch (Onuf, 1993). Such strong accusations should be examined in the context of the era in which Mr. Adams lived and served. A closer examination of the historical events occurring during his vice presidency and his term as president, strongly suggests that Adams was not, in fact, a dictator. Indeed, except for his lack of charismaRead MoreEssay on John Adams1165 Words   |  5 PagesJohn Adams was born on October 30th, 1735 to John Adams Sr. and Susanna Boylston Adams. He was the oldest of three and lived in Braintree, Massachusetts. His father was a farmer, deacon, and town councilman. The Adams were not very wealthy and John Adams’ father knew he could only send one son and he wanted to send his eldest. However, John Adams told his father â€Å"I do not love books and I wish you would lay aside thoughts of sending me to college.† His father in reply asked him- â€Å"What would you doRead MoreThe Legacy Of John Adams1474 Words   |  6 PagesJohn Adams was many things in his long and illustrious career. He was a lawyer, diplomat, farmer, Vice President and President. He is most well-known for being the second president. He did some good things and some bad things. Although the four years of John Adams’ presidency were quiet and somewhat forgotten, his successes in foreign policy and his control no doubt outweighed his failures in the Sedition Act and with his cabinet, in part to his background and characteristics. John Adam’s greatestRead MoreJohn Adams, Jr.1707 Words   |  7 Pages John Adams, Jr. was an American lawyer, author, statesman, and diplomat. He served as the second President of the United States, the first Vice President, and as a Founding Father was a leader of American independence from Great Britain. Adams was a political theorist in the Age of Enlightenment who promoted republicanism and a strong central government. His innovative ideas were frequently published. He was also a dedicated diarist and correspondent, particularly with his wife and key advisorRead MoreJohn Adams Essay1857 Words   |  8 PagesJohn Adams was born on October 30, 1735, on the family farm in the North Precinct of Braintree, Massachusetts. He was the second of five children to his parents John and Susanna Boylston Adams. Johns father was his role model because he wasnt only a farmer by trade, but he also took on many other time consuming jobs around the community to help others. Everyone in his hometown in some way dealt with him because he owned the titles of: the deacon of the church, selectman, tax collector, constableRead MoreJohn Adams Essays1414 Words   |  6 Pagesfirst vice president, John Adams had experienced various kinds of lives of different social positions. Adams, in his early years, tried diverse professions like writer, lawyer, public speaker, and congressman. Later, he became one of the leaders of several political fields, such as the American Revolution and foreign relationships, whose contributions had influenced the United States Constitution. People and nations are forged in the fires of adversity, said by him, John Adams was more admirableRead MoreJohn Adams And Thomas Jefferson1478 Words   |  6 PagesJohn Adams and Thomas Jefferson were two revolutionaries who helped birth a nation through an idea of the United States. This idea included the equality of all men and their freedoms, such as religion, speech and liberties. Both Jefferso n and Adams became politicians and rose to the position of President of the United States. John Adams took the position as the second President of the United States after serving as George Washington’s Vice President. Adams served as President from March 4, 1797Read MoreBiography of John Adams Essay783 Words   |  4 Pages John Adams was born October 30, 1735 in Braintree Massachusetts to his father John Adams and mother Susanna Boylston Adams. His father was a deacon, lieutenant in the militia, and farmer. John looked up to his father, more than anyone. Recounting later in his life that if he could go back in time he would become a farmer like his father. John was the eldest to two younger brothers Peter and Elihu. He was also the second cousin to Samuel Adams who will later convince him to join the revolutionRead MoreJohn Adams And Abraham Lincoln1980 Words   |  8 PagesDespite the disparity in the popularity ratings between the two presidents, John Adams and Abraham Lincoln are both indispensable figures in American history. In times of crisis, both of these men made big, consequential decisions to keep the country from falling apart. However, while Lincoln is commemorated for abolishing slavery and leading the Union in the Civil War, John Adams is remembered for the mistakes of his presidency—the Alien and Sedition Acts he issued that took away certain constitutional