Britannica Student Encyclopedia - 2010

in the election of 1796. Adams was

not a popular president. He followed his

own principles instead of others’ opinions.

Adams even disagreed with other

Federalists, notably Hamilton.

During Adams’ presidency a dispute

between the United States and France

October 30, July 4,

1735 1774 1783 1789 1796 1800 1826

Adams is born

in Braintree

(now Quincy),

Massachusetts.

Adams joins

the Continental

Congress.

Adams helps

create the

Treaty of Paris,

which ends the

American

Revolution.

Adams

becomes vice

president under

President

George

Washington.

Adams is

elected

president.

Adams loses

the presidency

to Thomas

Jefferson.

Adams dies in

Quincy,

Massachusetts.

T I M E L I N E

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Adams, John 23

 

almost led to war. The French had

expected the United States to support

them in their war with Britain. The

United States refused, and the French

began seizing U.S. ships. Hamilton and

others called for war with France.

Adams, however, thought the United

States was not ready for another war.

Going against his party, he made peace

with France.

Adams faced more criticism for the passage

of the Alien and Sedition Acts in

1798. Those harsh laws made it more

difficult for new immigrants to stay in

the country. They also punished critics

of the government.

Defeat and Death

Adams lost to Jefferson in the presidential

election of 1800. Adams died within

hours of Jefferson on July 4, 1826, the

50th anniversary of the signing of the

Declaration of Independence.

#More to explore

American Revolution • Continental

Congress • Hamilton, Alexander

• Jefferson, Thomas • United States

Adams, John

Quincy

Son of President John Adams, John

Quincy Adams became the sixth president

of the United States in 1825.

Although he was intelligent and dedicated

to his country, Adams was not

very popular. His accomplishments as a

diplomat and congressman overshadowed

his uneventful presidency.

Early Life

John Quincy Adams was born on July

11, 1767, in Braintree (now Quincy),

Massachusetts. He grew up during the

American Revolution. His father was a

member of the Continental Congress.

His mother, Abigail Adams, also was a

patriot. Adams studied in Europe and in

Massachusetts at Harvard College. After

graduating in 1787, he studied law and

became a lawyer in Boston.

In 1797 Adams married Louisa Catherine

Johnson. The couple had four children,

a daughter and three sons. One of

their sons, Charles Francis Adams,

became a member of the House of Representatives

and a diplomat.

Early Career

In 1794 President GeorgeWashington

made Adams the U.S. minister to The

John Adams

was the first

president who

lived in the

White House.

He moved in

on November

1, 1800.

John Quincy Adams was the

sixth president of the United

States.

24 Adams, John Quincy BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA

 

Netherlands. In 1797 Adams’ father,

now president, made Adams ambassador

to Prussia. In 1802 Adams was elected

to the Massachusetts Senate. In 1803 he

was elected to the U.S. Senate. After five

years he resigned from the Senate to

practice law.

In 1809 President James Madison

appointed Adams minister to Russia. In

1815 Adams became minister to Great

Britain. He returned to the United

States in 1817 and became secretary of

state under President James Monroe. In

that role Adams helped persuade Spain

to give control of Florida to the United

States. He also helped create the Monroe

Doctrine, a warning to European countries

not to extend their power in the

Western Hemisphere.

Presidency

In 1824 Adams was one of four candidates

for the presidency. Andrew Jackson

received the most electoral votes, followed

by Adams. No one had a majority

of the votes, however, so the House of

Representatives had to pick the winner.

The House chose Adams. He took office

in 1825.

The country prospered during Adams’

presidency, but he was not a successful

leader. He wanted to create a national

university and expand the country’s

roads. However, Jackson’s supporters in

Congress blocked most of Adams’ bills.

In the election of 1828 Adams lost to

Jackson.

Later Career and Death

Adams retired in 1829, but his retirement

was brief. In 1830 Massachusetts

elected him to the House of Representatives.

In Congress Adams argued against

the expansion of slavery. He also helped

start the Smithsonian Institution, which

today runs several museums inWashington,

D.C. Adams suffered a stroke in

1848 while speaking in the House. He

July 11, February 23,

1767 1803 1817 1824 1828 1831 1848

Adams is born

in Braintree

(now Quincy),

Massachusetts.

Adams is

elected to the

U.S. Senate.

President James

Monroe makes

Adams

secretary of

state.

Adams is

elected the

sixth president

of the United

States.

Adams loses

the presidential

election to

Andrew

Jackson.

Adams

enters the

U.S. House of

Representatives.

Adams dies in

Washington,

D.C.

T I M E L I N E

BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Adams, John Quincy 25

 

died in the Capitol two days later, on

February 23, 1848.

#More to explore

Adams, John • Jackson, Andrew

• United States

Adams, Samuel

A strong attachment to the cause of

independence made Samuel Adams a

leader of the American Revolution. As a

politician and as a writer he stirred the

colonists against British rule.