Transcript John Quincy Adams

John Quincy Adams
The Sixth President
of the
United States of America
John Quincy Adams
Born: July 11, 1767 – February 23, 1848
Birth Parents: John Adams and, Abigail Adams.
Birth Place: Quincy , Massachusetts.
Named after his grandfather Colonel John
Quincy, whom Quincy, Massachusetts is
named after.
• John Adams served as an American envoy to France from 1778 until
1779 and to the Netherlands from 1780 until 1782, and the son
accompanied his father on these journeys.
• Adams acquired an education at institutions such as Leiden University.
For nearly three years, at the age of 14, he accompanied Francis Dana as
a secretary on a mission to St. Petersburg, Russia, to obtain recognition
of the new United States. He spent time in Finland, Sweden, and
Denmark and, in 1804, published a travel report of Silesia.
• During these years overseas, Adams became fluent in French and Dutch
and became familiar with German and other European languages. He
entered Harvard College and graduated in 1788, Phi Beta Kappa.
• He apprenticed as a lawyer with Theophilus Parsons in Newburyport,
Massachusetts, from 1787 to 1789. He was admitted to the bar in 1791
and began practicing law in Boston.
• After graduating from Harvard College, he became a lawyer.
At age 26 he was appointed Minister to the Netherlands,
then promoted to the Berlin Legation. In 1802 he was
elected to the United States Senate. Six years later
President Madison appointed him Minister to Russia.
• Serving under President Monroe, Adams was one of
America's great Secretaries of State, arranging with England
for the joint occupation of the Oregon country, obtaining
from Spain the cession of the Florida's, and formulating
with the President the Monroe Doctrine.
• In the political tradition of the early 19th century, Adams as
Secretary of State was considered the political heir to the
Presidency.
Secretary of State
Quincy’s Greatest role to America was as Secretary of State.
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As secretary of state, Adams played the leading part in the acquisition of Florida. Ever since the acquisition of Louisiana, successive
administrations had sought to include at least a part of Florida in that purchase. In 1819, after long negotiations, Adams succeeded
in getting the Spanish minister to agree to a treaty in which Spain would abandon all claims to territory east of the Mississippi River,
the United States would relinquish all claims to what is now Texas, and a boundary of the United States would be drawn (for the
first time) from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean. This Transcontinental Treaty was perhaps the greatest victory ever won by a single
man in the diplomatic history of the United States. Adams himself was responsible for the idea of extending the country’s northern
boundary westward from the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific—considered a stroke of diplomatic genius. To use his own word, it
marked a triumphant “epocha” in U.S. continental expansion. Before the Spanish government ratified the Transcontinental Treaty in
1819, however, Mexico (including Texas) had thrown off allegiance to the mother country, and the United States had occupied
Florida by force of arms.
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As secretary of state, Adams was also responsible for conclusion of the treaty of 1818 with Great Britain, laying down the northern
boundary of the United States from the Lake of the Woods to the Rocky Mountains along the line of latitude 49° N. Years later, as a
member of the House of Representatives, he supported latitude 49° N as the boundary of Oregon from the Rocky Mountains to the
Pacific Ocean: “I want that country for our Western pioneers.” In fact, President James K. Polk’s Oregon treaty of 1846 drew that
boundary along the line of 49°. The Monroe Doctrine rightly bears the name of the president who in 1823 assumed the responsibility
for its promulgation, but its formulation was the work of John Quincy Adams more than of any other single man.
Ladies and Gentlemen the 6th
President of the United States of
America
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No major caucuses or national conventions existed to nominate candidates for president. John Quincy Adams had
three major opponents: Andrew Jackson, William Crawford, and Henry Clay. The campaign was full of sectional
strife. Jackson was much more a "man of the people" than Adams and had widespread support. He won 42% of the
popular vote versus Adams 32%. However, Jackson received 37% of the electoral votes and Adams got 32%. Since
no one received a majority, the election was sent to the House.
With the election to be decided in the House, each state could cast one vote for president. Henry Clay dropped out
and supported John Qunicy Adams who was elected on the first vote. When Adams became president, he
appointed Clay to be his Secretary of State. This led opponents to claim that a "corrupt bargain" had been made
between the two of them. They both denied this. Clay even participated in a duel to prove his innocence in this
matter.
Adams became the only President elected to the US House in 1830 after serving as president. He served there 17
years. One key event during this time was his role in arguing before the Supreme Court to free the slave mutineers
aboard the Amistad. He died after having a stroke on the floor of the US House on February 23, 1848.
Adams was significant mainly for his time before being president as Secretary of State. He negotiated the AdamsOnis Treaty. He was key in advising Monroe to deliver the Monroe Doctrine without the joint agreement of Great
Britain. His election in 1824 over Andrew Jackson had the effect of propelling Jackson into the presidency in 1828.
He also was the first president to advocate federal support for internal improvements.
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John Quincy Adams served only one term as president. He supported internal improvements including the
extension of the Cumberland Road. In 1828, the so-called "tariff of abominations" was passed. Its goal was to
protect domestic manufacturing. It was strongly opposed in the South and led Vice President John C. Calhoun to
argue again for the right of nullification - to have South Carolina nullify it by ruling it unconstitutional.
Random Facts about John Quincy Adams.
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John Quincy Adams was the 6th President of the United States.
President John Quincy Adams was the first President to wear trousers at his
inauguration.
In 1826, the Marquis de Lafayette gave John Quincy Adams an alligator. The
alligator lived in the White House for several months.
J.Q. Adams was one of 15 Presidents who were elected without winning the
popular vote.
Adams did not belong to a political party.
He and Theodore Roosevelt were the two presidents who didn't lay their hand on
the Bible to take the oath of office.
John Quincy Adams's Vice President was John C. Calhoun (1825-1829).
President John Quincy Adams was the first President to serve in the U.S. House of
Representatives after he served as President.
Adams died at his desk in the House chamber and died in the speaker's office. As a
member of Congress, he worked for years to overturn the rule that Congress
would not accept petitions against slavery.
Mr. President References
Robert Dodson
John Quincy Adams
•http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Quincy_Adams
•http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/presidents/johnquincyadams
•http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/5159/John-QuincyAdams/135/Secretary-of-state
•http://americanhistory.about.com/od/johnquincyadams/p/pjqadams.htm
•http://www.classroomhelp.com/lessons/Presidents/qadams.html