John Quincy Adams

John Quincy Adams

Imagine that you are born in 1767, the start of the birth of the nation. As you grow older you see how the Americas were formed and founded, you witness the battles and the disputes from different parties. Well, if you’re John Quincy Adams, you actually got to you actually got to see this firsthand. John Quincy Adams was one of the greatest diplomats in America, he formulated and crafted the Monroe Doctrine. He also fought against the expansion of slavery. His many contributions to this country are why we are one of the greatest countries in the world.

John Quincy Adams was born in Braintree, Massachusetts on July 11, 1767. He was born into a relatively wealthy family. His father, John Adams was a member of the Continental Congress and a lawyer, he later became the second U.S. president. His mother, Abigail Adams also was a patriot. When Adams was only a year old, his father moved his family to Boston, where he could be close to his clients. John Quincy Adams witnessed the birth of the nation.

In Boston, Adams and his family watched the Battle of Bunker Hill in 1775. He traveled to France with his father, who was aiding during the Revolution. As a child, Adams had many hobbies, for exercise he went horseback riding, took nature walks, and was also an excellent swimmer. He played billiards and enjoyed performances at nearby theaters. He maintained a diary throughout his life, illustrating vivid details of his everyday affairs. He was one of the few Americans to be prepared to serve as president of the United States. Adams attended schools in Europe and became fluent in French, Dutch, and German. When he returned home in 1785, he entered Harvard College and graduated in 1787. Adams also had jobs such as training in the diplomatic corps and serving as a secretary and translator and diplomat Francis Dana in Russia.

Adams lived in Boston as a young adult. He was a practicing attorney in Boston. As an adult, his family thought he was unhappy and he had mental issues.They suggested that he go to more social events. At these events, he would write poems about the women he dated. His first love, at fourteen years old, was a French actress that he never met but dreamed about. During his legal apprenticeship, John Quincy fell deeply in love with a young woman he met in Newburyport, Massachusetts, where he was studying law. John Quincy Adams had to end his private relationship with Mary Frazier because she pressed him for a marriage commitment and he knew he wasn’t financially stable to support a wife. John Adams didn’t get married until 1797 to Louisa Catherine. They had 4 children together, George Washington, John Adams II, Charles Francis, and Louisa Catherine. Adams was a Christian, he grew up in the Congregational church in his birth town. Adams described the theological position as a unitarian, which is a person, especially a Christian, who asserts the unity of God and rejects the doctrine of the Trinity. He was apart of the Federalist party in 1797-1802. The House of Representatives considered giving medals to the several generals in the Mexican War. When it was time to call John Quincy Adams to vote for or against the medals, he yelled out “NO!”. Immediately, he clutched his desk and slumped over. Adams had suffered from a massive cerebral hemorrhage, he was quickly carried into the speaker’s chambers. Then, he slipped into a coma after speaking a few words of encouragement to his colleagues and friends.Two days later, he died inside the chamber of the speaker of the House on February 23, 1848.

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