Important Presidents :: essays research papers

The second President of the get together States was John Adams, a lawyer anddiplomat. Adams public career lasted more than 35 years. He was second alone toGeorge capital of the United States in making a place for the young United States among thenations of the world. In his devotion to the country he was second to none.Adams was a federalist. He, like other federalists, believed in a grueling centralgovernment. However, he was independent and decided issues for himself in theinterests of his country and frequently 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 go to a dame school, a school conducted by a womanhood in her home.Later he went to the Free Latin School. He was ingenious around cattle and horses,helping wit h the milking and feeding. He was helpful in the kitchen too, grammatical constructionfires and cleaning up. In summer he went down to the bay to moderate the sailingships come in. In winter he skated on the nippy creeks. He flew homemade kites,collected 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. subsequently a year he began to study law under James Putnam, thetowns preeminent lawyer. He kept on teaching and spent his after-school 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, C harles and Thomas.After he was through serving in the Revolutionary War, he returned to theUnited States and was elected 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 neer popular. He wasoften vain and blunt. He was charged with wanting to leap power to the rich,