John Quincy Adams

John Q lived 1767 until 1848. His father, second President John Adams, must have been mighty proud of his son, as he was a top diplomat and the major brain behind the Monroe Doctrine.

How John got his name: His mother's grandfather, John Quincy, died when wee John was born. He inherited his name.

John was born July 11, 1767, in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts, and lived
80 long years. He became the sixth president of the United States. He also worked as lawyer, professor of rhetoric and oratory at Harvard College, plus several other jobs for the government including French interpreter.

He was a hard worker, got out of bed between four and six o'clock in the morning and often went for a walk around the city or for a swim in the Potomac River before breakfast.

His wife, Louisa Catherine, played the harp and read Greek, French, and English literature. She often accompanied him on his many travels.

John's mother was Abigail Smith Adams.


John's strengths
He was an excellent speaker. They called him "Old Man Eloquent." Another strength of his was his determination to continue the fight against slavery. One time, African slaves mutinied and escaped from their Spanish owners. The men landed their ship in a U.S. harbor. John Q defended them in court and won their freedom so that they didn't have to return to their owners, which would have meant certain death.


JOHN'S WEAKNESSES
John was not very social and often depressed. People described him as being cold sometimes. This didn't work to his advantage when he was president.


JOHN'S SUCCESSES
Some consider him as one of America's greatest diplomats. Under President Monroe, he managed to formulate what came to be called the Monroe Doctrine. This doctrine defines the foreign policy of the United States.

He also managed the Transcontinental Treaty by which means the United States acquired Florida from Spain.

Check the US Election Map 1796 - 1968.

Check Governments in History Chart.