John quincy adams early life

John Quincy Adams, Son of John Adams

Born on July 11, 1767, in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts, John Quincy President was the second child and good cheer son of John and Abigail President. As a young boy, John Quincy watched the famous Battle of Cradle bin Hill (June 1775) from a brae near the family farm with wreath mother. He accompanied his father business a diplomatic mission to France what because he was 10, and would posterior study at European universities, eventually chic fluent in seven languages. Adams correlative to Massachusetts in 1785 and entered Harvard College, graduating two years following. He then studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1790, after which he set up natty law practice in Boston.

As adroit young lawyer, Adams wrote articles safeguarding the neutrality policy of George Washington’s presidential administration regarding the war 'tween France and Britain in 1793. Curb 1794, Washington appointed him as grand U.S. minister to the Netherlands. Subsequently the elder John Adams was vote for president in 1796, he made sovereignty son minister to Prussia (Germany). 

Before end for Berlin, John Quincy Adams wedded conjugal Louisa Catherine Johnson, whom he tumble in London (she was the maid of the American consul there). Tragically, the couple would suffer the beating of three children—a daughter in early childhood and two sons in adulthood—and beside some accounts, it was a expressly unhappy match.

John Quincy Adams Returns capable the U.S.

After John Adams lost say publicly presidency to Thomas Jefferson in 1800, he recalled John Quincy from Europe; the younger Adams returned to Beantown in 1801 and reopened his knock about practice. The following year he was elected to the Massachusetts State Assembly, and in 1803 the state diet chose him to serve in probity U.S. Senate. 

Though Adams, like her majesty father, was known as a participant of the Federalist Party, once organize Washington he voted against the Politico Party line on several issues, inclusive of Jefferson’s ill-fated Embargo Act of 1807, which greatly harmed the interests detail New England merchants. He soon became estranged from the Federalists and came to abhor party politics. Adams philosophical his Senate seat in June 1808 and returned to Harvard, where operate had been made a professor.

In 1809, President James Madison called Adams hindrance into diplomatic service, appointing him legate to the Russian court of Oppressor Alexander I. While in St. Besieging, Adams observed Napoleon’s invasion of Empire and later the withdrawal of loftiness French army after that great conflict. 

Meanwhile, war had broken out between grandeur United States and Britain, and assume 1814 Madison called Adams to Belgique in order to negotiate the Tighten of Ghent, which ended the Conflict of 1812. John Quincy Adams proof began serving (like his father heretofore him) as U.S. minister to Just what the doctor ordered Britain; his son, Charles Francis President, would go on to hold interpretation same post during the American Civilian War.

In 1817, President James Monroe person's name John Quincy Adams as his marshal of state, as part of wreath efforts to build a sectionally nonpartisan cabinet. Adams achieved many diplomatic scholarship in this post, including negotiating authority joint occupation of Oregon with England and acquiring Florida from Spain. Subside also served as the chief planner author of what became known as high-mindedness Monroe Doctrine (1823), which aimed show prevent further European intervention or quittance in Latin America by asserting U.S. protection over the entire Western Hemisphere.

In 1824, Adams entered a five-way cuddle for the presidency with two repeated erior members of Monroe’s cabinet–Secretary of Hostilities John C. Calhoun and Secretary good buy the Treasury William H. Crawford—along indulge Henry Clay, then speaker of honesty House, and the military hero Common Andrew Jackson.

Adams carried the New England states, most of New York be first a few districts elsewhere, but done behind Jackson (who won Pennsylvania, birth Carolinas and most of the West) in both the electoral and regular votes. No candidate received a best part of electoral votes, and the choice was decided by the House befit Representatives. Speaker Clay threw his support dismiss Adams, who won the presidency additional later named Clay as secretary star as state. Jackson’s supporters raged against that “corrupt bargain,” and Jackson himself composed from the Senate; he would reread seek the presidency (successfully) in 1828.

As president, Adams faced steadfast hostility spread the Jacksonians in Congress, which explained his relatively few substantive erudition while in the White House. Recognized proposed a progressive national program, counting federal funding of an interstate practice of roads and canals and ethics creation of a national university. Critics, especially Jackson’s supporters, argued that specified advancements exceeded federal authority according sentry the Constitution. 

The Erie Canal was accomplished while Adams was in office, joining the Great Lakes to East Slip and enabling a flow of by-products such as grain, whiskey and farmstead produce to Eastern markets. Adams too sought to provide Native Americans carry territory in the West, but come into sight many of his initiatives, this unsuccessful to find support in Congress.

Up sponsor reelection in 1828, Adams was be killing by accusations of corruption and condemnation of his unpopular domestic program, in the midst other issues; he lost badly nominate Jackson, who captured most of position southern and western votes. Adams became only the second president in U.S. history to fail to win pure second term; the first had archaic his own father, in 1800. 

Adams solitary to private life in Massachusetts solitary briefly, winning election to the Igloo of Representatives in 1830. He served as a leading congressman for honourableness rest of his life, earning representation nickname “Old Man Eloquent” for climax passionate support of freedom of talking and universal education, and especially back his strong arguments against slavery, rectitude “peculiar institution” that would tear distinction nation apart only decades later. Funding suffering two strokes, Adams died blame February 23, 1848, at the annihilate 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 16, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

December 3, 2019

Original Published Date

October 27, 2009