John Adams was an important figure in the formative years of the United States, but he seldom achieved popularity during his long political career. His bluntness, impatience, and vanity made him more enemies than friends. On the great decisions of his public career, history has proved him right and his opponents wrong. But his clumsiness in human relations often caused him to be misunderstood.

Chronology of His Life and Career

	October 30, 1735	Born in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts.
	1755	Graduated from Harvard College.
	1758	Opened a law practice in Braintree.
	October 25, 1764	Married Abigail Smith.
	1765	Wrote resolutions against the Stamp Act that were adopted by the Braintree town meeting.
	1770	Defended the British soldiers charged with manslaughter following the Boston Massacre.
	1771	Elected to the colonial legislature.
	1774	Chosen a delegate to the First Continental Congress.
	1775	Chosen a delegate to the Second Continental Congress.
	1776	Signed the Declaration of Independence.
	1777	Elected commissioner to France to negotiate a treaty of alliance.
	1779	Elected to the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention.
	1780-1782	Obtained recognition of American independence from The Netherlands.
	1782-1783	Served on the commission that negotiated peace with Great Britain.
	1785	Appointed Minister to Great Britain.
	1789	Elected Vice-President of the United States.
	1792	Re-elected Vice-President.
	1796	Elected President of the United States.
	1801	Retired to Peacefield, his home in Quincy, Massachusetts.
	July 4, 1826	Died in Quincy.

Notes and Trivia

John Adams was the first man to see his son, John Quincy Adams, become President.

Sources

Adams National Historical Park www.nps.gov
Miller Center of American Affairs millercenter.org

See Also

Massachusetts
Abigail Smith
Stamp Act
Boston Massacre
France
The Netherlands
John Quincy Adams

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This page was last updated on December 01, 2018.