The United States' sixth president: John Quincy Adams
The United States' sixth president: John Quincy Adams
An overview of John Quincy Adams.
Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc.
Transcript
John Quincy Adams took office as the sixth president of the United States in 1825. His presidency was largely uneventful, and he is remembered more for his accomplishments as a diplomat and congressman.
John Quincy Adams grew up during the unrest of the American Revolution. His father – John Adams, who became the country’s second president – took an active role in the politics of the revolution, including helping to draft the Declaration of Independence. One of the heroes of the revolution – the Marquis de Lafayette – later gave the younger Adams an alligator when he was president. Legend says that Adams kept the alligator in the unfinished East Room bathroom and would direct White House visitors – especially those he did not like – to use that bathroom in order to scare them.
Adams spent much of his adolescence following his father on diplomatic missions abroad. During this time he began keeping a diary, which became a lifelong habit. By the time he died, he had written more than 14,000 pages.
Adams earned his own diplomatic appointment in 1794, as U.S. minister to the Netherlands. He served as minister to several countries over the next two decades and helped to negotiate the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the War of 1812. In 1817 President James Monroe named Adams Secretary of State. Adams worked closely with the president to formulate the Monroe Doctrine, which became a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy.
Adams hoped to succeed Monroe as president in the election of 1824, a highly competitive contest. Andrew Jackson won the popular vote, but none of the four candidates won enough electoral votes to take the presidency. The vote then moved to the U.S. House of Representatives, which selected Adams as president.
Adams took office in 1825 and faced a great deal of opposition from Jackson’s supporters. He proposed a forward-thinking agenda that included creating a national university and a naval academy, building more roads and canals, and sponsoring further exploration and settlement in the West, but a hostile Congress rejected most of his plans. His presidency was largely a political failure.
Adams sought reelection in 1828 but was defeated by Jackson.
Two years later Adams was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Adams consistently fought against slavery during his time in Congress. After pro-slavery members passed a series of resolutions that forbid congressional debates on slavery, Adams worked relentlessly for years until these gag rules were repealed.
Adams’s antislavery stance also led him to defend a group of African slaves before the Supreme Court in 1841. Two years earlier, the Africans had been kidnapped and transported to Cuba – a violation of international law. They revolted and gained control of the slave ship Amistad before being arrested by the U.S. Navy. Adams fought against returning the Africans to their captors. He argued that they had been taken as slaves illegally and had the right to fight for their freedom. The court sided with Adams and the Africans were freed.
In 1846 Adams suffered a mild stroke. He continued to serve in Congress, however, until he eventually collapsed on the floor of the House of Representatives. He died two days later, on February 23, 1848, at the age of 80.
John Quincy Adams grew up during the unrest of the American Revolution. His father – John Adams, who became the country’s second president – took an active role in the politics of the revolution, including helping to draft the Declaration of Independence. One of the heroes of the revolution – the Marquis de Lafayette – later gave the younger Adams an alligator when he was president. Legend says that Adams kept the alligator in the unfinished East Room bathroom and would direct White House visitors – especially those he did not like – to use that bathroom in order to scare them.
Adams spent much of his adolescence following his father on diplomatic missions abroad. During this time he began keeping a diary, which became a lifelong habit. By the time he died, he had written more than 14,000 pages.
Adams earned his own diplomatic appointment in 1794, as U.S. minister to the Netherlands. He served as minister to several countries over the next two decades and helped to negotiate the Treaty of Ghent, which ended the War of 1812. In 1817 President James Monroe named Adams Secretary of State. Adams worked closely with the president to formulate the Monroe Doctrine, which became a cornerstone of U.S. foreign policy.
Adams hoped to succeed Monroe as president in the election of 1824, a highly competitive contest. Andrew Jackson won the popular vote, but none of the four candidates won enough electoral votes to take the presidency. The vote then moved to the U.S. House of Representatives, which selected Adams as president.
Adams took office in 1825 and faced a great deal of opposition from Jackson’s supporters. He proposed a forward-thinking agenda that included creating a national university and a naval academy, building more roads and canals, and sponsoring further exploration and settlement in the West, but a hostile Congress rejected most of his plans. His presidency was largely a political failure.
Adams sought reelection in 1828 but was defeated by Jackson.
Two years later Adams was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. Adams consistently fought against slavery during his time in Congress. After pro-slavery members passed a series of resolutions that forbid congressional debates on slavery, Adams worked relentlessly for years until these gag rules were repealed.
Adams’s antislavery stance also led him to defend a group of African slaves before the Supreme Court in 1841. Two years earlier, the Africans had been kidnapped and transported to Cuba – a violation of international law. They revolted and gained control of the slave ship Amistad before being arrested by the U.S. Navy. Adams fought against returning the Africans to their captors. He argued that they had been taken as slaves illegally and had the right to fight for their freedom. The court sided with Adams and the Africans were freed.
In 1846 Adams suffered a mild stroke. He continued to serve in Congress, however, until he eventually collapsed on the floor of the House of Representatives. He died two days later, on February 23, 1848, at the age of 80.