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John Quincy Adams 1767-1848
His
father,
second President John Adams, must
have been proud of his son, as he was a top diplomat and
the major brain behind the
Monroe Doctrine.
On the downside, John Quincy Adams had
an ongoing beef with
Andrew Jackson.
How John Quincy Adams
Got His Name
His mother's
grandfather, John Quincy, died when wee John was born. He
inherited his name.
John Quincy Adams'
Background, Life, and Family
John was born July 11, 1767, in Braintree (now Quincy),
Massachusetts, and lived
80 long years.
John Quincy Adams 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 Quincy Adams'
Strong Points
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 Quincy Adams defended them in court and won their freedom so that they
didn't have to return to their owners, which would have meant
their certain death.
John Quincy Adams'
Weak Points
John was not very social and often
felt depressed. People described him
as being cold sometimes. This didn't work to his advantage when he
was president.
John Quincy Adams'
Achievements
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.
See also the
US Election
Map 1796 - 1968.
Check
Governments in History Chart.
More on John
Quincy Adam's grandson,
Henry Adams.
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