John Quincy Adams

Life Before Presidency

John Quincy Adams was born in Braintree, Massachusetts in 1767.

After graduating from Harvard College, Adams became a lawyer. He was appointed minister to the Netherlands at age 26. Then he was promoted Berlin Legation. In 1802, Adams was elected to the U.S. Senate. President Madison appointed him minister to Russia six years later. 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 Floridas, and formulation with the president the Monroe Doctrine.

Run For Presidency

Adams was the candidate from the north and fell behind General Andrew Jackson in both popular and electoral votes, but recieved more than William H. Crawford and Henry Clay. Because no candidate had a majority of electoral votes, the election was decided among the top three by the House of Representatives. Clay and Adams had similar views, so Clay supported Adams in the House. Adams promised to reward Clay if he was chosen for President, so Clay persuaded others to vote for Adams without revealing his motives.

Presidency

John Quincy Adams was the first president who was a son of a president. In many aspects, he paralleled the career and the viewpoints of his father. Upon becoming president, Adams appointed Clay as Secretary of State. Jackson charged that a "corrupt bargain" had taken place and immediately began his campaign to win the election from Adams in 1828. Even though he knew there was hostility in Congress, Adams proclaimed in his first annual message a spectacular national program. He proposed that the Federal government bring the sections together with a network of highways and canals, and that it develop and conserve the public domain, using funds from the sale of public lands. In 1828, he broke ground for the 185-mile C & O Canal. Adams also urged the United States to take a lead in the development of the arts and sciences through the establishement of a national university, the financing of scientific expeditions, and the erection of an observatory.

Re-election of 1828

Even before the election of 1828, the temporarily united Republicans of th Era of Good Feelings split into two camps. One was the national republicans with Adams as their leader. The other was the democratic republicans with Andrew Jackson as their leader. Jackson swept the south and the west whereas Adams retained the old Federalist stronghold of the east. Andrew took the election with 178 electoral votes while John Q. Adams had 83.

Death

In 1848, John Quincy Adams collapsed on the floor of the House from a stroke and was carried to the Speakers Room, where two days later, he died. He was buried at First Parish Church in Quincy with his father, mother and wife.

Bibliography

A&e Television Networks. "John Quinc Adams." Biography. 1996. 8 Nov. 2006 .

"John Quincy Adams." The White House. Government. 06 Nov. 2006 <http://www.whitehouse.gov/history/presidents/ja6.html>.