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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11 Jul 1798The United States Marine Corps is re-established under President John Adams as a permanent fighting force under the direction of the Department of the Navy. The Continental Marines had been established in November 1775 but were disbanded after the Revolutionary War.
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24 Apr 1800The Library of Congress is established by US President John Adams through an act of Congress authorizing $5,000.00 to purchase books for a reference collection. The library was burned by the British in 1814 during the War of 1812 but the collection was restored in 1815 when Thomas Jefferson sold Congress over 6,000 of his own books.
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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 Jul 1826John Adams dies at home in Quincy, Massachusetts, at the age of 90.
