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Intro
One thing that people remember John Quincy Adams by is that he was one of the smartest men to ever become president. He could speak in multiple languages and served as a diplomat across Europe. He also helped shape American policy and played a major role that defined America’s relationship to the rest of the world. Not only did he speak a variety of languages, but he was a part of five different political one of them being the first third party: The Anti-Masonic Party. A photo taken of him after he was in office is considered the oldest picture of a president ever taken.
However, even his brilliance couldn’t save him from being remembered as an unsuccessful or deeply troubled president. This both has to do with his politics and his personality. Another reason he was remembered this way had to do with the growing divisions in America itself.
In this blog, we will take a look at the life and presidency of John Quincy Adams along with his accomplishments, his complicated personality, and the reason why many modern historians see him more favorably than did the people during his presidency.
Part 1 — The Son of a Founder
John Quincy Adams was born in 1767. He was the son of America’s second president, John Adams. Growing up he lived inside a world of revolution and diplomacy. He was a child when he witnessed part of the American Revolution.
John Quincy Adams was not known for his charisma, but rather for his intellect, discipline, education, and diplomacy. He was only a teenager when he started serving as a diplomatic assistant in Europe. He had a stronger international worldview compared to other early American leaders. He saw America as a nation that needed to survive among other strong nations.
Part 2 — A Diplomatic Genius
Before he became president, he had built one of the most impressive diplomatic careers in the history of America. He was known to serve as an ambassador to various European countries including as being the Secretary of state under James Monroe. Some consider him one of America’s best Secretaries of State.
He played a major role in helping to shape the Monroe Doctrine. The doctrine itself warned European powers against further colonization in the Americas and played a major role in defining U.S. foreign policy.
He negotiated other things such as territorial agreements, trade relationships, and diplomatic stability while the country was still young and vulnerable.
Part 3 — The Election of 1824 and the “Corrupt Bargain”
Adams became president after one of the most controversial elections in U.S. history. It was 1824 it was a race between Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams. This put the decision on the House of Representatives. While Andrew Jackson had won the most popular votes and electoral vote, he did not win enough to secure victory outright. The House ended up choosing Adams.
Adams appointed Henry Clay as Secretary of State and Jackson’s supporter accused Adams and Clay of making a secret deal which they called the “Corrupt Bargain.” Whether or not this agreement really happened remains debated. Regardless, the damage was pretty bad and many Americans believed that Adams had cheated his way to take the presidency. He was relentless attacked during the last for years of his presidency.
Part 4 — Adams’ Vision for America
Adams had a strong ambition toward national development. He supported such things as roads, canals, scientific advancement, education, and natural infrastructure.
He thought that it was the federal governments responsibility to help strengthen and modernize the country. In some ways, he was a visionary. He promoted such things as a national university, scientific research, improved transportation systems, and economic development.
While some historians view Adams as a forward-thinking president, the people of his time accused him of expanding federal power too much. They argued that he represented an elite government that didn’t work for the citizens. This kind of attitude isn’t something new, as it was going on back then.
Part 5 — Why Adams Struggled as President
Even though he was intelligent, Adams struggled when it came to politics. One of the major reasons for this was because of his personality. While he may have been highly intelligent, disciplined, and serious, he had very little charisma. He often came across as cold or arrogant.
At a time when American politics was becoming more populist and emotional, Adams seemed to be out of step.
Part 6 — Slavery and Moral Complexity
Adams’ relationship to slavery was complicated. Later in life he was outspoken against slavery. When he was no longer president, he was in the House of Representatives for almost two decades. That’s when he stood up against slavery. He opposed something known as the “gag rule,” which prevented discussions of anti-slavery petitions. He rightfully pointed out that suppressing debate threatened constitutional rights.
He even defended enslaved Africans who were involved in the famous Amistad case which went before the Supreme Court. He wasn’t fully modern in his racial view either as some of his views still reflected limitations and prejudices that plagued the nineteenth century.
Part 7 — The Good and the Bad
So, Adams was quite divided when it comes to the good and the bad. The good aspects of him is that he was highly intelligent, deeply experienced, committed to public service, and an extraordinary diplomat. His biggest accomplishments included helping to shape the Monroe Doctrine, expanding America diplomatically, supporting science and infrastructure, defending free speech, and opposing slavery later in life. Many historians praise Adams for the fact that he sought long-term national development over short term popularity.
Then there are the bad things. Adams struggled with political effectiveness, elitist image, weak public connection, and the inability to build strong coalitions. He accomplished less than he hoped when he was president. Some say that he was disconnected with the people and that some of his good ideas failed politically because he didn’t have persuasive power to get people to support him.
Part 8 — Adams’ Historical Legacy
Many historians separate Adams the president from Adams the statesman. When it comes to ranking presidents, he often falls somewhere in the middle. However, he was exceptional when it came to being a diplomat and public servant. In fact, his post-presidential career helped to strengthen his legacy. It’s not often that former presidents return to public office the way that Adams did.
Conclusion
While Adams was highly intelligent, this intelligences alone does not guarantee political success. Adams wanted to a stronger, more educated, and developed America, and some of his ideas were even ahead of his time. However, he struggled to connect strongly and emotionally to the growing democratic energy of the country. However, his later opposition to slavery placed him on a different trajectory than many of the earlier presidents. He was neither a hero or a villain, but he was a complicated person living through a deeply complicated period of American history.
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Further Reading (Affiliate Links)
John Quincy Adams: A Public Life, a Private Life by Paul C. Nagel
John Quincy Adams: Militant Spirit by James Traub
John Quincy Adams by Robert V. Remini
The Lost Founding Father: John Quincy Adams and the Transformation of American Politics by William J. Cooper
John Quincy Adams and the Gag Rule, 1835–1850 by Peter Charles Hoffer
The One-Party Presidential Contest by Daniel Ratcliffe