John Adams was a founding father of the United States. He was born in Massachusetts Bay Colony on 1735. He was a lawyer. He was a delegate for the Continental Congress and helped to defend British soldiers accused in the Boston Massacre.
Adams was a lawyer who stood up for independence for the colonies. He was instrumental to the creation of the Declaration of Independence. After the war, he was a diplomat for France and the Netherlands. From 1785 to 1788, he was appointed to the Court of St. James's at London. He was also a leading force in the opposition to the Townshend Acts of 1767.
He wrote extensively about The First Amendment. He was a strong opponent to slavery. His antislavery laws, which he passed during his presidency, were met with resistance from Republican strongholds. These unpopular laws led to Thomas Jefferson's defeat in 1800.
In 1782, Adams was instrumental in securing recognition for the United States in the Netherlands. Then he began to negotiate a treaty for commerce with the Netherlands. He was also part of the committee that drafted and signed the Declaration of Independence. In addition to his diplomatic work, he was elected to the First Continental Congress, where he was a leading voice for independence.
Adams developed close relationships with Thomas Jefferson during the 1780s. They exchanged a lot of correspondence due to their friendship. Their correspondence spanned fourteen years, and continued throughout their lives. They also exchanged drafts of the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.
In the 1780s the United States was subject to pressure to participate in wars in Europe. The Republicans supported the republican government of France but the Federalists sympathized more with Britain. In the end, the conflict was resolved with the Treaty of Paris.
Adams was an active critic of Great Britain, as a politician. Adams was particularly critical the Stamp Act 1765, which taxed legal documentation in the United States. He considered taxes unfair and oppressive. In addition, he opposed the Townshend Acts of 1767, which levied tariffs on imported goods.
The French foreign minister demanded a large bribe from Adams, but he refused to deal on these terms. This scandal was known as the XYZ Affair and it helped boost his popularity. He returned to Europe with his two sons in November 1779.
Adams was an influential lawyer in the development and implementation of the United States' constitutional government. His contributions to the American political system were primarily through his involvement in the Declaration of Independence, and the creation of the Bill of Rights. He also helped negotiate a treaty of peace with Great Britain. He was a major player in the political history of the United States and was one of the most principled and influential Americans of the late eighteenth century.
While John Adams was a fervent and dedicated patriot, he was also an intelligent and well-learned individual. He was also a remarkable political philosopher.