John Adams: A Biography of the Second President of the United States

John Adams

1797-1801 FederalistXYZ Affair; Alien and Sedition Acts

John Adams was the second President of the United States, serving from 1797 to 1801. He was born in 1735 in Braintree, Massachusetts (now Quincy), and his father was a farmer and deacon in the Congregational Church. Adams went on to attend Harvard College and became a lawyer. He played a key role in the American Revolution, serving as a delegate to the Continental Congress and signing the Declaration of Independence.

After the war, Adams served as a diplomat, including a stint as the first U.S. ambassador to Great Britain. He also served as Vice President under George Washington and was elected President in 1796. Adams faced numerous challenges during his presidency, including political turmoil both domestically and abroad. His presidency is perhaps best known for the XYZ Affair, in which French agents demanded bribes and loans from American diplomats in exchange for negotiations.

After leaving office, Adams retired to his family farm in Quincy. He famously had a sometimes rocky relationship with his political rival Thomas Jefferson, but the two men eventually reconciled and exchanged letters until their deaths. Adams died on July 4, 1826, the same day as Jefferson, which was fifty years after the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

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