author
John Adams
1735–1826
A sharp-minded founder, lawyer, and diplomat, he helped shape the American Revolution and became the nation’s second president. His letters and public writings still stand out for their energy, candor, and fierce belief in republican government.
3 Audiobooks
State of the Union Addresses
by John Adams
Novanglus, and Massachusettensis or, Political Essays, Published in the Years 1774 and 1775, on the Principal Points of Controversy, between Great Britain and Her Colonies
by John Adams, Daniel Leonard
Familiar Letters of John Adams and His Wife Abigail Adams During the Revolution with a Memoir of Mrs. Adams
by John Adams, Abigail Adams
About the author
Born in Braintree, Massachusetts, in 1735, he studied at Harvard, taught school for a time, and then built a career in law. He became widely known in the years before independence, especially after defending British soldiers charged in the Boston Massacre trials, a case that showed his strong commitment to the rule of law even in a moment of public anger.
During the Revolution, he emerged as one of the leading voices for independence in the Continental Congress. He also served abroad as a diplomat, helping secure support for the new United States and taking part in negotiating the Treaty of Paris that ended the Revolutionary War. Before becoming president, he was the first vice president of the United States under George Washington.
As president from 1797 to 1801, he led the country through a tense and divided political moment, including conflict with France, and is often remembered for putting national stability ahead of popularity. After public life, he spent many years in Quincy, Massachusetts, in a remarkable correspondence with family and friends, including Thomas Jefferson. He died on July 4, 1826, the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.