The Presidential Life of John Adams

John Adams was the second president of America. Learn more about how John Adams won the elections from Jefferson as a Federalist.

Throughout Washington's presidency, Vice President Adams regarded himself as the next president. That alone explains his willingness to endure eight years in the vice presidency, an with no power. When Washington, in his Farewell Address, published in September 1796, announced his intention to retire, the nation faced its first contested presidential election. The Federalists, led by Alexander Hamilton, supported a strong central government that favored industry, landowners, banking interests, merchants, and close ties with England. Opposed to them were the Democratic-Republicans, led by Thomas Jefferson, who advocated limited powers for the federal government. Adams's Federalist leanings and high visibility as vice president positioned him as the leading contender for President. In 1797, John Adams was elected president in his own right when Washington bowed-out after two terms. The rules then were simple as the two top vote getters got the two top offices. This is how Thomas Jefferson, who opposed Adams in the election, came to serve as Adams's vice president in 1797. In the end, Adams won by a three-vote margin although virtually all of Adams's votes came from the north while virtually all of Jefferson's were from the south. Adams appears to have received some support in recognition of his long and sacrificial service during the American Revolution. The northern states also thought their time had come to have a President because George Washington from Virginia had held the office during the nations first eight years. With Adams’ inauguration as the nation’s second president, the peaceful change of government clearly demonstrated that the new republic where the people ruled, established in the constitution was possible. When he became president, Great Britain and France were at war. Although the US was neutral, the French attacked US ships to prevent them from trading with Great Britain. War seems too close, so Adams established a naval department and ordered warships to be built. Out of this affair came the Department of Navy and its most famous early product the USS Constitution “Old Ironsides”. Although war was never declared for two years, French and US frigates engaged in battles at sea. In 1800, Adams negotiated an end to the hostilities, but John was determined to keep the peace and keep it he did with the treaty signed by the French Foreign Minister himself, Talleyrand. As the European wars continued, he followed Washington’s lead and kept America out of these wars. The nation was divided regarding both American involvement in the war and asked to how he managed to avoid American participation in it. And in the election of 1800, this issue caused him his reelection. In political terms, he was relatively unknown after this defeat. John retired to his home in nearby Quincy Massachusetts. He spent most of his time reading a literature of the world in his library. Once his eyesight began to fail, his eighteen grandchildren and great grandchildren read aloud to him. At the age of 89, Adams proudly watched his son, John Quincy Adams, win the election as the sixth president of the United States. Two years later, he was invited to participate in Boston’s celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Adams never made it, dying quietly in the early evening of July 4th, 1826. His last words were “Jefferson still survives”. Adams had no way of knowing that Jefferson had died a few hours earlier at his Monticello estate in Virginia. Historians have difficulty assessing Adams's presidency. Adams was able to avoid war with France, arguing against Hamilton that war should be a last resort to diplomacy. Seen in this slide, Adams's legacy is one of reason, virtuous leadership, compassion, and a cautious but vigorous foreign policy. At the same time, Adams's stubborn independence left him politically isolated