How Did John Adams's Contribution To The American Presidential History?
J ohn Adams had one of the most difficult tasks in American presidential history, replacing the beloved George Washington. Adams’ presidency however was not his only contribution to the American political scene.
Adams began influencing the course of American politics when he was a lawyer in Boston. Adams defended John Hancock against charges of smuggling brought upon him by the British. Perhaps his most famous case was his reluctant defense of Capt. Thomas Preston, who had been in charge of the Red Coats at the Boston Massacre. While Adams feared what the case would do to his reputation, he defended them in the sprit of having a fair trial. Evidently, his popularity seemed unscathed as he was then elected to the Massachusetts legislature. Adams supported the Boston Tea Party and was later Massachusetts’ representative to the First Continental Congress. There, he helped plan American resistance to British vindictiveness that came about through the passing of the Coercive and Intolerable Acts. Following Lexington and Concord, Adams pushed a reluctant Congress to move towards independence, as well as pushing local governments to do the same. Adams desperately wanted reform of regional governments, and through the influence of his …show more content…
Adams’ toughest decision was whether to stay neutral in the conflict between Britain and France. In 1797, in an effort to sort out the matter peacefully, Adams sent diplomats whom the French attempted to bribe in what became known as the XYZ affair. This created an anti-French fervor in the United States, and the pro-British Federalists in Congress jumped at their chance. Congress passed a war program with an Alien and Sedition tax to fund it, with the Federalist goals being to prepare for war with the French and to crush any opposition from the
Adams began influencing the course of American politics when he was a lawyer in Boston. Adams defended John Hancock against charges of smuggling brought upon him by the British. Perhaps his most famous case was his reluctant defense of Capt. Thomas Preston, who had been in charge of the Red Coats at the Boston Massacre. While Adams feared what the case would do to his reputation, he defended them in the sprit of having a fair trial. Evidently, his popularity seemed unscathed as he was then elected to the Massachusetts legislature. Adams supported the Boston Tea Party and was later Massachusetts’ representative to the First Continental Congress. There, he helped plan American resistance to British vindictiveness that came about through the passing of the Coercive and Intolerable Acts. Following Lexington and Concord, Adams pushed a reluctant Congress to move towards independence, as well as pushing local governments to do the same. Adams desperately wanted reform of regional governments, and through the influence of his …show more content…
Adams’ toughest decision was whether to stay neutral in the conflict between Britain and France. In 1797, in an effort to sort out the matter peacefully, Adams sent diplomats whom the French attempted to bribe in what became known as the XYZ affair. This created an anti-French fervor in the United States, and the pro-British Federalists in Congress jumped at their chance. Congress passed a war program with an Alien and Sedition tax to fund it, with the Federalist goals being to prepare for war with the French and to crush any opposition from the