John Adams :: essays papers

John AdamsThe Revolution was effected before the war commenced. The Revolution was in theminds and patrol wagon of the people... This radical change in the principles, opinions,sentiments, and affections of the people was the real American Revolution.In three remarkable careers--as a foe of British oppression and champion of freedom (1761-77), as an American diplomat in Europe (1778-88), and as the firstvice-president (1789-97) and then the second president (1797-1801) of the UnitedStates--John Adams was a founder of the United States. possibly equally important,however, was the life of his mind and spirit in a pungent diary, vivid letters, learnedtracts, and patriotic speeches he revealed himself as a quintessential Puritan, paterfamilias of an illustrious family, tough-minded philosopher of the republic, sage, and sometimes a vain, stubborn, and vitriolic partisan.John Adams was born in Braintree (now Quincy), Mass., on Oct. 30, 1735, in a smallsaltbox house still rest and open to visitors. His father, John Adams, a deacon and afifth-generation Massachusetts farmer, and his mother, the former Suzanna Boylston,were, their son wrote, both fond of reading so they resolved to give bookishly given over John a good education. He became the first of his family to go to college when he entered Harvard in 1751. There, and in six further historic period of intensive reading man he taught school and studied law in Worcester and Boston, he mastered the technicalities of his profession and the literature and learning of his day. By 1762, when he began 14 years of more and more successful legal practice, he was well informed, ambitious, and public spirited.His most notable good fortune, however, occurred in 1764 when he married AbigailSmith. John Adamss marriage of 54 years to this wise, learned, strong-willed, passionate, and patriotic woman began the brilliant phase of Adams family history that produced their son John Quincy, his son Charles Francis, his sons Henr y and Brooks, and numerous other distinguished progeny.In 1761, John Adams began to hypothecate and write and act against British measures that hebelieved infringed on colonial liberties and the right of Massachusetts and the othercolonies to self-government. A pamphlet entitled A Dissertation on the Canon and theFeudal Law and town instructions denouncing the Stamp Act (1765) marked him as avigorous, patriotic penman, and, holding various local offices, he soon became a leaderamong Massachusetts radicals. Although he never wavered in his devotion to colonialrights and early committed himself to independence as an unwelcome drop dead resort,Adamss innate conservatism made him determined in 1770 that the British soldiers