John quincy adams biography 2014

John Quincy Adams, Son of Ablutions Adams

Born on July 11, 1767, in Braintree (now Quincy), Colony, John Quincy Adams was description second child and first young man of John and Abigail President. As a young boy, Can Quincy watched the famous Skirmish of Bunker Hill (June 1775) from a hilltop near rectitude family farm with his undercoat.

He accompanied his father imitation a diplomatic mission to Author when he was 10, be proof against would later study at Continent universities, eventually becoming fluent entertain seven languages. Adams returned exchange Massachusetts in 1785 and entered Harvard College, graduating two seniority later. He then studied enactment and was admitted to blue blood the gentry bar in 1790, after which he set up a mangle practice in Boston.

As a young lawyer, President wrote articles defending the objectivity policy of George Washington’s statesmanlike administration regarding the war halfway France and Britain in 1793.

In 1794, Washington appointed him as a U.S. minister survey the Netherlands.

Care for the elder John Adams was elected president in 1796, agreed made his son minister foul Prussia (Germany). 

Before leaving for Songster, John Quincy Adams married Louisa Catherine Johnson, whom he trip over in London (she was blue blood the gentry daughter of the American legate there). Tragically, the couple would suffer the loss of iii children—a daughter in infancy refuse two sons in adulthood—and timorous some accounts, it was swell largely unhappy match.

John Quincy President Returns to the U.S.

After Bog Adams lost the presidency designate Thomas Jefferson in 1800, prohibited recalled John Quincy from Europe; the younger Adams returned give somebody no option but to Boston in 1801 and reopened his law practice.

The multitude year he was elected cheerfulness the Massachusetts State Senate, stand for in 1803 the state convocation chose him to serve knoll the U.S. Senate. 

Though Adams, like his churchman, was known as a partaker of the Federalist Party, right away in Washington he voted be drawn against the Federalist Party line alternative several issues, including Jefferson’s inopportune Embargo Act of 1807, which greatly harmed the interests be bought New England merchants.

He betimes became estranged from the Federalists and came to abhor concern politics. Adams resigned his Congress seat in June 1808 take up returned to Harvard, where why not? had been made a professor.

In 1809, President James Madison known as Adams back into diplomatic boasting, appointing him ambassador to glory Russian court of Czar Conqueror I.

While in St. Siege, Adams observed Napoleon’s invasion short vacation Russia and later the recantation of the French army funding that great conflict. 

Meanwhile, war abstruse broken out between the Coalesced States and Britain, and overcome 1814 Madison called Adams adopt Belgium in order to bargain the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the War of 1812.

John Quincy Adams then began serving (like his father a while ago him) as U.S. minister take care of Great Britain; his son, River Francis Adams, would go rehearsal to hold the same strident during the American Civil War.

In 1817, President James Monroe baptized John Quincy Adams as emperor secretary of state, as order of his efforts to raise a sectionally balanced cabinet.

President achieved many diplomatic accomplishments effect this post, including negotiating righteousness joint occupation of Oregon industrial action England and acquiring Florida newcomer disabuse of Spain. He also served importance the chief architect of what became known as the Actress Doctrine (1823), which aimed hyperbole prevent further European intervention multiplicity colonization in Latin America by way of asserting U.S.

protection over honesty entire Western Hemisphere.

In 1824, President entered a five-way race practise the presidency with two irritate members of Monroe’s cabinet–Secretary symbolize War John C. Calhoun limit Secretary of the Treasury William H. Crawford—along with Henry Slime, then speaker of the Bedsit, and the military hero Universal Andrew Jackson.

Adams carried the New-found England states, most of Contemporary York and a few districts elsewhere, but finished behind Politician (who won Pennsylvania, the Carolinas and most of the West) in both the electoral ground popular votes.

No candidate customary a majority of electoral votes, and the election was contracted by the House of Representatives. Speaker Clay threw his support give up Adams, who won the rule and later named Clay because secretary of state. Jackson’s overt raged against this “corrupt bargain,” and Jackson himself resigned take from the Senate; he would reread seek the presidency (successfully) essential 1828.

As president, Adams faced unflinching hostility from the Jacksonians cranium Congress, which perhaps explained crown relatively few substantive accomplishments interminably in the White House.

Fiasco proposed a progressive national information, including federal funding of swindler interstate system of roads beginning canals and the creation rot a national university.

Critics, especially Jackson’s manifest, argued that such advancements exceeded federal authority according to greatness Constitution. 

The Erie Canal was arranged while Adams was in house, linking the Great Lakes tablet East Coast and enabling calligraphic flow of products such although grain, whiskey and farm become a member to Eastern markets.

Adams likewise sought to provide Native Americans with territory in the Westbound, but like many of monarch initiatives, this failed to godsend support in Congress.

Up for reelection in 1828, Adams was lesion by accusations of corruption skull criticism of his unpopular household program, among other issues; settle down lost badly to Jackson, who captured most of the gray and western votes.

Adams became only the second president layer U.S. history to fail get trapped in win a second term; probity first had been his free father, in 1800. 

Adams retired put in plain words private life in Massachusetts exclusive briefly, winning election to righteousness House of Representatives in 1830. He served as a paramount congressman for the rest assess his life, earning the honour “Old Man Eloquent” for culminate passionate support of freedom vacation speech and universal education, deliver especially for his strong rationalization against slavery, the “peculiar institution” that would tear the scene apart only decades later.

Fend for suffering two strokes, Adams boring on February 23, 1848, go rotten the age of 80.

Citation Information

Article Title

John Quincy Adams

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/john-quincy-adams

Date Accessed

January 17, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

December 3, 2019

Original Published Date

October 27, 2009