John Adams (1735-1826) was an American lawyer, statesman, and diplomat who was a prominent leader of the American Revolution (1765-1789) before going on to serve as the first vice president (1789-1797) and second president of the United States (1797-1801). He is considered a Founding Father of the United States, having helped lead the push for independence.
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Definition
Timeline
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30 Oct 1735John Adams, future President of the United States, is born in Braintree, Massachusetts.
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6 Nov 1759John Adams is admitted to the bar in Boston, begins practicing law.
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25 Oct 1764John Adams marries Abigail Smith.
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25 Sep 1765John Adams drafts the 'Braintree Instructions' in opposition to the Stamp Act.
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27 Nov 1770 - 4 Dec 1770Trial of the eight British soldiers who participated in the Boston Massacre. Defended by John Adams, six soldiers are acquitted and two found guilty of manslaughter.
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14 Jun 1775Jonn Adams nominates George Washington as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army.
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2 Jul 1776The Continental Congress votes for independence; the United States is born.
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11 Sep 1776The Staten Island Peace Conference breaks down after the Americans refuse to renounce independence.
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Apr 1778John Adams arrives in Paris to join Arthur Lee and Benjamin Franklin as diplomats to the Court of Versailles.
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30 Oct 1779John Adams drafts the Massachusetts state constitution.
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19 Apr 1782The Dutch Republic recognizes the independence of the United States, after months of lobbying by John Adams.
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30 Nov 1782The first draft of the Treaty of Paris is finished.
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1 Jun 1785John Adams has his first audience with King George III of Great Britain, after being appointed ambassador to Great Britain.
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4 Feb 1789In the first US presidential election, George Washington wins all 69 electoral votes; John Adams is elected vice president.
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21 Apr 1789Adams arrives in New York City to take his office as the first Vice President of the United States.
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4 Nov 1796 - 7 Dec 1796The Election of 1796 is held in the United States; John Adams is elected president, with Thomas Jefferson as his vice president.
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4 Mar 1797John Adams is inaugurated as the second President of the United States.
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Oct 1797 - Apr 1798The XYZ Affair; French diplomats demand bribes from American commissioners as a prerequisite for negotiations, increasing tensions between France and the US.
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18 Jun 1798 - 14 Jul 1798President Adams and the Federalist-controlled Congress enact the controversial Alien and Sedition Acts.
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7 Jul 1798 - 30 Sep 1800The Quasi-War, an undeclared naval conflict, is fought between Revolutionary France and the United States.
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Jun 1800The seat of the federal government in the United States moves to Washington, D.C.
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31 Jan 1801President John Adams appoints John Marshall as chief justice of the US Supreme Court; the appointment is soon confirmed by the Senate.
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Feb 1801After losing re-election, Adams makes a series of last-minute judicial appointments known as the 'midnight judges'.
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4 Mar 1801Adams' term as president expires, he retires to Quincy, Massachusetts.
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28 Oct 1818Death of Abigail Smith Adams, age 73.
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4 Mar 1825John Quincy Adams is sworn in as the sixth President of the United States.
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4 Jul 1826John Adams dies at home in Quincy, Massachusetts, at the age of 90.
