Important Presidents :: essays research papers

The second President of the United States was John exaltations, a lawyer anddiplomat. Adams common career lasted more than 35 years. He was second hardly toGeorge Washington in making a place for the young United States among thenations of the world. In his loyalty to the expanse he was second to none.Adams was a federalist. He, like other federalists, believed in a strong centralgovernment. However, he was independent and decided issues for himself in theinterests of his country and often against the interests of his party. Adams wasdefeated for a second term as president because he defied party power to act forhis vision of the nations good.John Adams was born October 30, 1735, in Braintree, Massachusetts. He wasthe eldest of three sons, children of John and Susanna Boylston Adams. YoungJohn attended a dame school, a school conducted by a woman in her home.Later he went to the Free Latin School. He was handy around cattle and horses,helping with the milking and feeding. He wa s helpful in the kitchen too, buildingfires and cleaning up. In summer he went down to the bay to watch the sailingships come in. In winter he skated on the frozen creeks. He flew homemade kites, quiet birds eggs, and always had a whittling knife in hand.When he entered Harvard College, he intended to become a minister. By thetime he graduated, he had given up the idea. He taught school until he could makeup his mind about his future. Adams taught in Worcester, Massachusetts, about 60miles west of Boston. After a year he began to study law under James Putnam, thetowns leading lawyer. He kept on teaching and spent his outside hours inPutnams office. He was admitted to the bar in November 1758 and settled inBraintree to practice. When he was 29 he married Abigail Smith, a ministersdaughter. She was only 20, but she had schooled herself well in politics andliterature. They had four children Abigail, John Quincy, Charles and Thomas.After he was through serving in the Revolutionary War, he returned to theUnited States and was take vice-president under George Washington. In 1792Washington and Adams were reelected. Political parties began to emerge duringWashingtons presidency. Adams and Alexander Hamilton led the Federalist party.They opposed Thomas Jefferson and his Democratic-Republican party. In 1797Adams became president, with Jefferson as vice-president.Despite Adams great ability and patriotism, he was never popular. He wasoften vain and blunt. He was charged with wanting to confine power to the rich,