Excerpt
Introduction: Who Was John Adams?
John Adams wasn’t the kind of person who sat quietly in a room and let others make all the big decisions. He had opinions—strong ones—and he wasn’t afraid to speak up, even if people didn’t like what he had to say. Some thought he was stubborn. Others thought he was brilliant. But no matter what people thought of him, one thing was clear: John Adams played a huge role in making the United States a country.
Before he became president, before he helped write the Declaration of Independence, before anyone called him a Founding Father, John Adams was just a man who couldn’t stand unfairness. He believed in the law, and he believed that people deserved to be treated with respect, no matter who they were. That belief got him into some tricky situations, but it also made him one of the most important leaders in American history.
When the British ruled the American colonies, they didn’t always treat the colonists fairly. They made laws without letting the colonists have a say, taxed goods without explaining why, and sent soldiers to keep everyone in line. Some people thought this was just the way things had to be, but not Adams. He saw a future where the colonies could govern themselves, where people could vote for their own leaders, and where a king across the ocean wouldn’t decide their fates.
But at the same time, Adams wasn’t someone who jumped straight to war. He wanted to think things through, to argue and debate and figure out the best way forward. That’s one of the reasons he defended the British soldiers after the Boston Massacre. It shocked a lot of people—why would someone fighting for American independence stand up for the enemy? But Adams didn’t see it that way. He believed everyone deserved a fair trial, even people most others saw as the bad guys. To him, justice was more important than popularity.
That sense of fairness made Adams an important voice when talk of independence started getting serious. While some people hesitated, wondering if breaking away from Britain was really a good idea, Adams pushed forward. He was one of the loudest voices in the Continental Congress, convincing others that the time for action had come. Independence wasn’t just a dream—it was possible. But only if the colonies stood together.
Not everyone agreed with him right away. Some people were afraid. What if war broke out? What if Britain crushed the rebellion? What if life actually got worse without the king in charge? Adams had answers for all of those concerns. He spoke passionately about why the colonies needed to be free and refused to back down, even when people argued against him. His speeches inspired others, helping turn the idea of independence into something real.
But words weren’t enough. If the colonies were going to break away from Britain, they needed a plan. They needed a document that explained why they were fighting for their freedom. Adams helped make that happen. He worked closely with Thomas Jefferson and others to draft the Declaration of Independence, a statement to the world that the American colonies were no longer under British rule. Jefferson did most of the writing, but Adams made sure the ideas were strong, the message was clear, and that everyone in Congress got behind it.
When the Declaration was finally signed, the real work began. War broke out, and Adams had to use his skills to help in a different way. He traveled to France and the Netherlands, meeting with leaders and convincing them to support the American cause. The colonies needed money, supplies, and powerful allies to win the war, and Adams was determined to get them. It wasn’t easy. He had to deal with language barriers, different customs, and leaders who weren’t sure if helping the Americans was worth the risk. But he didn’t give up. He argued, negotiated, and made deals that helped keep the revolution alive.
John Adams wasn’t the kind of person who sat quietly in a room and let others make all the big decisions. He had opinions—strong ones—and he wasn’t afraid to speak up, even if people didn’t like what he had to say. Some thought he was stubborn. Others thought he was brilliant. But no matter what people thought of him, one thing was clear: John Adams played a huge role in making the United States a country.
Before he became president, before he helped write the Declaration of Independence, before anyone called him a Founding Father, John Adams was just a man who couldn’t stand unfairness. He believed in the law, and he believed that people deserved to be treated with respect, no matter who they were. That belief got him into some tricky situations, but it also made him one of the most important leaders in American history.
When the British ruled the American colonies, they didn’t always treat the colonists fairly. They made laws without letting the colonists have a say, taxed goods without explaining why, and sent soldiers to keep everyone in line. Some people thought this was just the way things had to be, but not Adams. He saw a future where the colonies could govern themselves, where people could vote for their own leaders, and where a king across the ocean wouldn’t decide their fates.
But at the same time, Adams wasn’t someone who jumped straight to war. He wanted to think things through, to argue and debate and figure out the best way forward. That’s one of the reasons he defended the British soldiers after the Boston Massacre. It shocked a lot of people—why would someone fighting for American independence stand up for the enemy? But Adams didn’t see it that way. He believed everyone deserved a fair trial, even people most others saw as the bad guys. To him, justice was more important than popularity.
That sense of fairness made Adams an important voice when talk of independence started getting serious. While some people hesitated, wondering if breaking away from Britain was really a good idea, Adams pushed forward. He was one of the loudest voices in the Continental Congress, convincing others that the time for action had come. Independence wasn’t just a dream—it was possible. But only if the colonies stood together.
Not everyone agreed with him right away. Some people were afraid. What if war broke out? What if Britain crushed the rebellion? What if life actually got worse without the king in charge? Adams had answers for all of those concerns. He spoke passionately about why the colonies needed to be free and refused to back down, even when people argued against him. His speeches inspired others, helping turn the idea of independence into something real.
But words weren’t enough. If the colonies were going to break away from Britain, they needed a plan. They needed a document that explained why they were fighting for their freedom. Adams helped make that happen. He worked closely with Thomas Jefferson and others to draft the Declaration of Independence, a statement to the world that the American colonies were no longer under British rule. Jefferson did most of the writing, but Adams made sure the ideas were strong, the message was clear, and that everyone in Congress got behind it.
When the Declaration was finally signed, the real work began. War broke out, and Adams had to use his skills to help in a different way. He traveled to France and the Netherlands, meeting with leaders and convincing them to support the American cause. The colonies needed money, supplies, and powerful allies to win the war, and Adams was determined to get them. It wasn’t easy. He had to deal with language barriers, different customs, and leaders who weren’t sure if helping the Americans was worth the risk. But he didn’t give up. He argued, negotiated, and made deals that helped keep the revolution alive.