John Quincy Adams

NAME: John Quincy Adams. He was named after his mother’s maternal grandfather, Colonel John Quincy, after whom Quincy, Massachusetts, is also named.

WHAT FAMOUS FOR: Sixth president of the United States, son of John Adams, diplomat, congressman, and opponent of slavery

BIRTH: July 11, 1767 in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts

FAMILY BACKGROUND: Son of John Adams, a Founding Father and the second president, and Abigail Adams, a prominent First Lady and writer; descendant of the Quincy family, a prominent political family in Massachusetts,

CHILDHOOD: John witnessed the American Revolution as a boy. He accompanied his father on diplomatic missions to Europe He learned several languages and studied classical literature.

EDUCATION: Adams did not attend formal school but was tutored at home by his cousin James Thax and his father’s law clerk, Nathan Rice.

Adams entered Harvard College as a junior and graduated second in his class in 1787. His education was rigorous and heavily focused on classical studies, languages, and law, preparing him for his future career in diplomacy and politics. He studied law under Theophilus Parsons and graduated in 1787.

CAREER RECORD: John Quincy Adams had a long and distinguished career in diplomacy and politics. His first major appointment came in 1797 when his father, President John Adams, appointed him as Minister to Prussia at the urging of George Washington. While in Prussia, he successfully negotiated the renewal of the liberal Prussian-American Treaty of Amity and Commerce. 

Later, he played a pivotal role in ending the War of 1812 with the Treaty of Ghent and was instrumental in crafting the Monroe Doctrine.

John Quincy Adams was the sixth President of the United States (1825–1829).

APPEARANCE: John Adams, standing at 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighing around 175 pounds, possessed a striking presence. His penetrating black eyes, coupled with a bald head that arrived early in life, gave him a somewhat austere appearance.

Adams portrait – Gilbert Stuart, 1818

FASHION:  He dressed with a plainness that bordered on indifference. Adams preferred dark colors and high collars. He wore a top hat and a frock coat.

He was the first American President to wear trousers instead of knee breeches at his inauguration.

CHARACTER: Intelligent, diligent, independent, principled, stubborn, aloof, irascible. Despite these character flaws, Adams was a master diplomat. Ironically, the man perceived as cold and unsociable proved to be one of America's most successful negotiators. In the delicate art of diplomacy, he meticulously controlled his temper and mastered the social graces, a testament to his dedication to his country and his unwavering commitment to his principles.

SPEAKING VOICE Adams spoke in a high, shrill voice that was quite noticeable. Despite its pitch, Adams' voice was highly articulate. He was capable of holding audiences spellbound with his eloquence and could deliver complex arguments with clarity.

Adams was deeply influenced by classical rhetoric, particularly the Ciceronian ideal of the citizen-orator. This shaped his approach to public speaking throughout his career.

In his lectures on rhetoric, Adams demonstrated the ability to employ a range of oratorical styles, from high Ciceronian with sonorous tones and balanced clauses to more straightforward delivery

SENSE OF HUMOUR: Adams was known for his serious and intellectual nature, but he had a unique sense of humor. He was not a fan of small talk and famously said, “I hate small talk, and I am not very good at it.” However, he did enjoy using his pet alligator to startle unsuspecting White House visitors.

RELATIONSHIPS: Adams had a close bond with his mother, who influenced his views and values. He had a distant and strained relationship with his father, who expected much from him.

Adams married Louisa Catherine Johnson, the daughter of a poor American merchant, in a ceremony at the church of All Hallows-by-the-Tower, London on July 26, 1797. He had a loyal but sometimes unhappy marriage with his wife, who suffered from poor health and depression.

Louisa Adams was born in England and raised in France. Adams was the only president to have married a First Lady born outside of the United States.

Gilbert Stuart Portrait of Louisa Catherine Johnson

 They had three sons and a daughter  Louisa Catherine Adams II, who died of dysentery aged one.

Adams had a difficult relationship with his eldest son, George, who was an alcoholic and committed suicide aged 28; had a better relationship with his youngest son, Charles, who followed his footsteps in politics

MONEY AND FAME: Adams came from a wealthy and prominent family He inherited land and property from his father; and earned a modest income from his public service. Adams received royalties from his published writings. He enjoyed fame and respect as a statesman and scholar

FOOD AND DRINK: Adams ate simple and frugal meals. As a New Englander, he likely enjoyed regional staples such as seafood and hearty American fare. . Adams avoided spirits and tobacco.

MUSIC AND ARTS: Adams played the flute as a hobby. He enjoyed classical music, especially Mozart and Haydn and appreciated painting and sculpture, especially Greek and Roman art. He visited museums and galleries in Europe.

LITERATURE: Adams was a voracious reader and prolific writer. He kept an extensive diary, spanning over 50 years, detailing his thoughts, political observations, and personal reflections. His love of literature and deep intellect made him one of the most well-read presidents in U.S. history.

NATURE: He loved nature and the outdoors and walked every morning for exercise and fresh air. Adams kept a garden at his home in Quincy and observed plants and animals with curiosity and admiration.

PETS The Marquis de Lafayette gifted John Quincy Adams a pet alligator, which he kept in the White House for several months. He reportedly enjoyed scaring visitors with it and housed it in his bath.

HOBBIES AND SPORTS: Swimming was one of Adams’ favorite pastimes, and he often engaged in early morning skinny-dipping in the Potomac River. His dedication to swimming nearly led to his drowning, but that did not deter him from continuing the activity.

SCIENCE AND MATHS: Interested in science and maths. Adams studied astronomy, chemistry, geography, geology and navigation. He owned a telescope and a microscope, a sextant, and a compass. and calculated eclipses, tides, and distances. Adams corresponded with scientists such as Benjamin Rush, Thomas Jefferson, and Alexander von Humboldt

PHILOSOPHY & THEOLOGY: A devout Unitarian Christian, Adams believed in the unity of God, the moral law, the free will of man, and the immortality of the soul. He read the Bible daily, prayed  regularly, attended church services and respected other religions.  Adams studied philosophy such as Plato, Aristotle, Descartes, Locke, Hume, and Kant.

POLITICAL CAREER Adams was elected as the sixth President of the United States in a contested election. The first-ever opinion poll predicted Andrew Jackson would win, but because no candidate received a majority of electoral votes, the House of Representatives elected Adams as president on February 9, 1825. After his presidency, he remained active in politics and was the only former president to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he served for 17 years.

POLITICS Adams was a staunch opponent of slavery and a strong advocate for human rights. When Congress imposed a gag rule in 1836 to suppress debate on slavery, Adams defied it and spent the next eight years introducing thousands of antislavery petitions until the rule was finally repealed.

SCANDAL: Adams was accused of making a "corrupt bargain" with Henry Clay to win the presidency in 1824 and criticized for his unpopular policies such as the Tariff of 1828. He  was attacked for his opposition to slavery by pro-slavery politicians, involved in the Amistad case as a lawyer for the African captives and censured by the House of Representatives for presenting anti-slavery petitions. 

MILITARY RECORD: Adams served as a diplomat during the War of 1812 and negotiated the Treaty of Ghent that ended the war. He supported a strong national defense and a professional army and navy and opposed unnecessary wars and interventions

HEALTH AND PHYSICAL FITNESS:  Chronic health issues – insomnia, indigestion, nervous anxiety, and eye discomfort – plagued him throughout his life, occasionally plunging him into deep bouts of depression. "Uncontrollable dejection of spirits" and "a sluggish carelessness of life," as he called it, would sometimes grip him, leading him to confess, "I have at times an imaginary wish that [life] were terminated."

He had a stroke in 1846 that impaired his speech and movement. Adams had a second stroke in 1848 that caused his death.

HOMES: Born and raised in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts, Adams lived in various places in Europe and America as a diplomat and politician. He owned a farm called Peacefield in Quincy, where he retired and died.

TRAVEL: Adams’ diplomatic career took him across Europe, including service in the Netherlands, Russia, and Prussia. His extensive travels shaped his understanding of international relations and greatly influenced his foreign policy decisions.

Adams crossed the Atlantic Ocean eight times

DEATH: John Quincy Adams died on February 23, 1848, at the age of 80. His death occurred in the Speaker's Room inside the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., two days after he collapsed on the House floor due to a massive cerebral hemorrhage. Adams' last words were reported to be "This is the last of Earth. I am content."

A state funeral was held on February 26, 1848, in the Hall of the House of Representatives. The funeral procession included military units, members of Congress, President Polk and his cabinet, the Supreme Court, and the general public. Twelve pallbearers, including political opponents John Calhoun and Thomas Benton, accompanied Adams' body.

On March 5, 1848, Adams' remains began their journey to Quincy, Massachusetts. A select group of Congressmen accompanied the body on a five-day, 500-mile train journey. The train stopped at various towns along the way, allowing people to pay their respects.

Adams was initially buried in the family burial ground in Quincy, Massachusetts, known as Hancock Cemetery. However, this was not his final resting place.

In 1852, after the death of his wife Louisa, Adams' son had his parents re-interred in the family crypt in the United First Parish Church. The church, often called the "Church of the Presidents," now houses the tombs of both John Adams and John Quincy Adams, along with their wives3

APPEARANCES IN MEDIA: Portrayed by actors such as Anthony Hopkins, E.G. Marshall, David Morse, and Paul Giamatti in films and TV shows such as Amistad, The Adams Chronicles, John Adams, and The American President. 

ACHIEVEMENTS: One of the most accomplished and influential statesmen in American history, Adams helped shape the foreign policy of the United States, especially the Monroe Doctrine that opposed European interference in the Americas. He promoted internal improvements such as roads, canals, and education, and defended human rights and civil liberties such as freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom from slavery.

Source Presidential Ham