John Quincy Adams: Life, Presidency, and Legacy

Introduction

John Quincy Adams, the sixth President of the United States, was the first son of a former president that Americans elected to the office. Historians do not regard him as one of America's most outstanding presidents — he faced adversaries and controversy throughout his time in office. Nevertheless, looking back, he was a remarkable man and leader who literally died on the floor of the House of Representatives, having dedicated his entire life to serving the American people.

Early Life and Education

John Quincy Adams was born on July 11, 1767, in Braintree, Massachusetts. He was the son of John Adams, and he grew up during America's war with England in the fight for independence. Some of his earliest memories include watching the Battle of Bunker Hill with his mother (Lipsky 7). By the time he was eleven years old, he was accompanying his father to Europe for diplomatic missions. He was always a serious young man and seemed much older than his years.

Young Adams received an excellent education. Both of his parents were well educated and passed their interest in learning on to their son. While in Europe with his father, he studied linguistics — specifically ancient and modern languages — skills that would serve him enormously in his later career as a diplomat and statesman. Throughout his young life he attended schools in Paris and Amsterdam, and he briefly enrolled at the University of Leiden. Historian George A. Lipsky writes of his education that "it was broad and cosmopolitan but acquired an order and a system only by virtue of his precocious intelligence and diligent application to scholarship under the guidance of a unique father" (Lipsky 8). At a young age he witnessed the signing of the peace treaty between England and the United States, and he socialized with figures such as Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. His education was, in sum, long, rigorous, and highly unusual. He always took a keen interest in economics and politics, which helps explain why his career ultimately spanned sixty years in public service. In 1787 he graduated from Harvard University.

After graduating from Harvard, young Adams studied law, just as his father had. He was admitted to the bar in 1790 and opened a legal office in Boston. His law practice was never particularly successful, however, and he spent more time writing and publishing essays on a variety of topics than he did practicing law. This pattern, combined with his distinguished background, seemed to push him steadily toward a political life.

References

Editors. "John Quincy Adams." AmericanPresident.org. 2005. 23 Sept. 2005. <

Howe, John R. "John Quincy Adams: A Public Life, A Private Life." Journal of Southern History. Volume: 67, Issue: 2, 2001, pg. 444.

Lipsky, George A. John Quincy Adams: His Theory and Ideas. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, 1950.

Maier, Timothy W. "The Tales of Two Presidential Sons." Insight on the News, Volume: 17, Issue: 9, March 5, 2001, pg. 14.

Seward, William H. Life and Public Services of John Quincy Adams: Sixth President of the United States with the Eulogy Delivered before the Legislature of New York. New York: C.M. Saxton, 1860.