History Series: John Adams
History of John Adams
More than the Second President of the United States
Before John Adams became the first Vice President of the United States (under George Washington,) the second President of the United States, the first resident of the White House, and a writer of the Massachusetts State Constitution…
he had a role during the Revolutionary War period as one of the creators of the Declaration of Independence.
John Adams and the Committee of Five
He was on the Committee of Five who wrote the Declaration of Independence. At 40, he was more senior than the 33-year-old Thomas Jefferson but realized that Jefferson was the more eloquent writer.
Jefferson asked Adams to write it. However, Adams insisted that Jefferson do so, arguing:
” Reason first, you are a Virginian, and a Virginian ought to appear at the head of this business.
Reason second, I am obnoxious, suspected, and unpopular. You are very much otherwise.
Reason third, you can write ten times better than I can.”
Later Adams wrote:
“Was there ever a Coup de Theatre that had so great an effect as Jefferson’s penmanship…
