President II

Having just attended my first Nationals game of the season, I am inspired to write more before this week’s busy-ness starts. Although I may have to write a blog post about the Orioles this season who it seems are shooting for the worst record in baseball history, ay yi yi… Anyway, the Presidents posts continue! This time we resume with the plump, brash, outspoken, and often frustrated Mr. Adams, our 2^nd President.

Sit down John, for God’s Sake John, Sit down! (From the musical 1776, feat. Mr Feeney)

John Adams was born on October 30, 1735 in Quincy, Massachusetts, just a hop, skip, and a jump from Boston. His family had emigrated from Wales and England in 1638, making his family one of the oldest in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. This is something that Adams took very seriously as he sought to uphold his family’s heritage. He attended Harvard College, graduating in 1755, and then decided to become a lawyer and was admitted to the bar in 1758. A few years later, in 1764 he married Abigail Smith, who bore him 5 children, including future POTUS John Quincy Adams.

While Adams was never as popular as his cousin Sam Adams (who obviously was famous enough to have a brewery named for him), John was often outspoken and his approach was unyielding. Both were fervent patriots and gained reputations as such in Massachusetts. However, as a man of principle, Adams served as the defense counsel for the British soldiers who shot and killed several Americans during the Boston Massacre in 1770. I too was surprised when I first read about this, but not only did Adams take a bold stance by defending the wildly unpopular soldiers, he was paid only pennies for his services. LAME!

A few years later, Massachusetts sent John Adams to the 1^st and 2^nd Continental Congresses where he made a name for himself as an outspoken critic of King George III and a diehard patriot for independence (in fact it was Adams who nominated Washington to be commander-in-chief of the Continental Army). Something to remember about these first Congresses was that they did not assemble for the purpose of declaring independence. There were still many loyalists who attended these Congresses fully expecting to reconcile differences with Great Britain but who wished to remain under English rule. This is why Adams’s passionate support for independence was so critical in swaying votes among its skeptics.

So long story short, the Declaration of Independence was written by Jefferson under Adams’s supervision, we won the war, and Adams assumed a new role- diplomat. During the final years of the war and under the Articles of Confederation, Adams was in Europe, in France to solicit support for the American cause, in Britain to negotiate terms of surrender and smooth a transition, and finally to Amsterdam, Netherlands attempting to secure loans for the infant nation. He returned to America under the new Constitution as the country’s first Vice President under Washington.

One of my favorite Adams quotes is his opinion on the position of VP, "My country has in its wisdom contrived for me the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived." Adams had a weak case of little man’s complex where he envisioned himself to be the wisest of his colleagues, and was very aware that his ego and intellect weren’t being used to their potential. This is why Adams was narrowly elected to succeed Washington (big shoes to fill) as the country’s 2^nd President.

The Adams administration had one big success, preventing an escalating conflict with France, and several huge blemishes. The biggest being the Alien and Sedition Acts, which legalized the incarceration of any citizen who talked smack about the government and required a longer period of residence for an immigrant to become a U.S. citizen. This was done to prevent the registration of immigrants with Jefferson’s growing Democratic-Republican Party. These acts were extremely unpopular and were eventually repealed. Adams was also the first President to reside in the White House. When he arrived, he and Abigail were shocked to find hundreds of black slaves constructing their future home. As a lifelong New Englander, slavery was something that Adams resented and opposed his entire career.

The election of 1800 saw the election of Thomas Jefferson, by this point Adams’s bitter enemy, to succeed him after one term. Adams so resented his former colleague that he skipped town

and left for Massachusetts before Jefferson’s inauguration, but not before appointing several last minute (midnight) appointments to the Supreme Court, which became the thorn in Jefferson’s side during his presidency. John and Abigail lived a long life together on their farm in Massachusetts, and John even lived to see his son elected president in 1824. Adams died on July 4, 1826, 2 hours after Jefferson, at the ripe old age of 90 years and 247 days (beaten only by Reagan and Gerald Ford).

One of the reasons we know the most about John Adams and his contemporaries is through Adams’s extensive letters, especially to his wife Abigail, who, while Adams was despised by many of his colleagues, remained truly in love and supportive of her husband. Their letters represent one of the most passionate and affectionate love stories of the time and tell a lot about Adams’s true feelings and constant frustration. Adams’s letters with Jefferson, particularly after their reconciliation later in life are also fascinating.

Next up, everyone’s favorite, Thomas Jefferson.

The first of the Presidents

It’s been awhile since my last post of modesty, and I have to apologize for the delay. Between birthdays, work trips, and a move to a new apartment life has been kind of hectic recently. But now I am set up with internet in my new apartment, and I’m ready not only to announce a new post, but a new SERIES of posts. Today begins the American Presidents series. Since I just moved to Virginia, George Washington seems even more appropriate to start with. Especially since I already posted about the pre-first President, Mr. Hansen from Maryland. Without further delay…

The Father of Our Country

George Washington was born on February 22, 1732 near Colonial Beach, VA. Educated at home, Washington worked as a surveyor for his first career, not including his help around the family farm. While many may have read that this was the youthful Washington’s early career, most don’t realize what a tremendous impact this had on his effectiveness as future general due to his unique knowledge of the terrain of the land. Another little known fact is that Washington’s one and only trip outside the United States was in 1751 to Barbados in hopes of curing his half-brother of tuberculosis. His half-brother died the following year, leaving Washington the owner of his first estate, Mount Vernon. During this time, Washington also joined the militia as a Major and also expanded his estates around Mount Vernon and in the Ohio territory.

In 1754, Washington suffered his only military surrender at Fort Necessity where he was defeated by the French Canadians and their Indian allies during the Seven Years War. After the French and Indian War, Washington retired as a Brigadier General to his farm as a tobacco farmer and local politician. In 1759, Washington married Mary Custis, from which he inherited additional lands and wealth that made him one of the richest and most successful men in Virginia. Into the marriage, Martha brought her children, and eventually grandchildren, from a previous marriage who were Washington’s only heirs. It is believed that Washington’s earlier fight with smallpox may have made him sterile.

In the 1770s Washington began to become more political, sending letters suggesting a boycott of English goods until certain taxes were repealed. He attended the First Continental Congress as a delegate from Virginia, and was from there elected as the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army. Washington’s greatest asset as general was his ability to raise the ever-fleeting morale of the army even during the most desperate of times when his soldiers resorted to eating dogs and starving for days during harsh winters.

The most notable of these instances was Washington’s successful Battle of Trenton on Christmas Eve 1776. After a series of degrading losses, Washington rallied his army to cross the Delaware River and take the British by surprise. This was followed by the battle of Saratoga, where Washington successfully enlisted the support of the French, who ultimately helped us win the war. But without going into much more detail, we won. Yay independence!

After the war, Washington resigned his command, and again retired to Mount Vernon. Another not-so-widely-known fact is that Washington became quite the successful businessman and farmer. Mount Vernon was very successful after Washington changed the main cash crop from tobacco to wheat. His entire life, Washington was very self-conscious of his image and ensuring his legacy, a point made well by Joseph Ellis in his book His Excellency: George Washington.

In 1787, Washington was summoned out of retirement to preside over the Constitutional Convention to revamp (get rid of) the Articles of Confederation. Washington was the only figure at the time (short of maybe Ben Franklin) who could bring legitimacy to the proceedings, and he was chosen unanimously by the Electoral College to be the nation’s first President. Washington’s two terms as Commander-in-Chief set many precedents that we respect today, such as the two-term limit, using the term “Mr. President,” and the utilization of an executive cabinet of advisors. During his later years, including his eight years as President, Washington’s health was mired by constant toothaches that caused him immense pain. Contrary to popular belief, Washington did NOT have wooden teeth. Fake teeth at this time were made from ivory mostly, but also using human teeth of slaves who were given special privileges for “donating” their teeth.

After his two terms as President, Washington AGAIN retired to Mount Vernon to manage his estate and live out his life with Martha. In his last year of life, 1798, President John Adams commissioned Washington to be the General of the armies that were being raised for a potential war with France, but his service was largely symbolic and Alexander Hamilton served as the physical general present. Washington died on December 14, 1799 at Mount Vernon where he is buried today.

Washington’s legacy is like none other in American history. Very rarely are Washington’s shortfalls and negative attributes discussed or even known. In fact, on the ceiling of the Capitol rotunda is a painting entitled, The Apotheosis of Washington, which shows Washington being raised up to Heaven and being made a god. Probably won’t find that depiction of any other figure in our history. Washington is on the one-dollar bill, the 25-cent coin, Mount Rushmore, 11 universities carry his name, our nation’s capital is named for him, 1 state, 30 counties, and over 250 towns, townships, and cities are as well. There is even a statue of Washington in Trafalgar Square, London. He’s kind of a big deal.

Next up, John Adams. (I promise after the first few presidents, the posts will get shorter)