John Adams
Unit 1 smore
John Adams
Integrity: the quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness (Merriam-webster Dictionary, 2015)
John Adams exhibited integrity and lost his opportunity to become president for a second term because he chose what he thought was right for the Untied States. A treaty was signed with France regarding the Quasi War which prevented the US to going into war. This was a naval conflict on trading routes which could have become war. He chose to not please his party and was rather unpopular, therefore prevented him the opportunity to become president a second term.
Integrity and honesty always came first with him. Another example of integrity was that many of his ideas and principles were part of the US constitution. Lastly, John Adams' integrity involved a successful defense of a fair trial for the British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre regardless of his own political beliefs.
Citizenship
Citizenship: the fact or status of being a citizen of a particular place; the qualities that a person is expected to have as a responsible member of a community (Merriam-Webster Dictionary, 2015)
John Adams signed into law in 1798, the naturalization act. This was the first of four laws on Alien and Sedition Acts. This act required immigrants to live in the US for 14 years prior to becoming eligible to be a citizen.
John Adams also wrote the preamble to the Declaration of Independence.
John Adams Biography
Early life
John Adams was born in Quincy Massachusetts. His family was a direct decedents of puritans. His father John Adams Sr, was a congregationalists deacon and a councilman for Quincy. When he was 16 John earned a scholarship to Harvard, and went and studied under John Putnam a very successful lawyer. Then in 1758 he earned his masters degree from Harvard.
Political life and Contributions
John Adams was a big figure in the American Revolution. He first became noticed when he voiced his opinions against the Stamp Act. Writing a four page article in the Boston Gazzatte
saying that the Stamp Act deprived colonists of their basic rights. He then later caused a stir when he agreed to represent the eight soldiers that were on trial for the Boston Massacre . Saying that everyone deserves a fair trial. The jury acquitted 6 out of the 8 soldiers. Later that year John was chosen among four others to represent the colony in the first Continental Congress. In 1776 Adams suggested that the colonies each have their own type of government the congress agreed. John Adams was soon drafted along with Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson to help write the first Declaration of Independence. Soon after John was serving in over 90 committees in the developing government. Then in 1977 he became head of the head of the Board of War and Ordinance and helped guide the Continental army. Later in 1779 Adams was one of the American diplomats sent over to England to help negotiate the Treaty of Paris. When the Revolutionary War ended Adams stayed in England for 10 years to help with treaties and agreements between England and the colonies.