John Quincy Adams: Independent
2023-04-02
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1VOA Learning English presents America's Presidents.
2Today we are talking about John Quincy Adams.
3Does his name sound familiar?
4John Quincy Adams, the sixth president, was the son of John Adams, the second president.
5Like his father, Quincy Adams had a sharp mind and a difficult personality.
6And, like his father, Quincy Adams served only one four-year term in office.
7But Quincy Adams went on to have many successful years working in a different job.
8He is the only former president (so far) to serve in the House of Representatives.
9The parents of John Quincy Adams, John and Abigail, were strong patriots.
10Theirs was one of the founding families of America.
11Abigail Adams especially raised her son to serve his country.
12She expected him to become president.
13She told him that, with his good education and training, if he did not serve in a high public office it would be his own fault.
14Quincy Adams did not disappoint his mother.
15As a child, he learned to speak at least four languages and read Greek and Latin.
16He also studied Shakespeare's plays.
17At age 10, he traveled with his father to Europe.
18As a young man, he worked alongside John Adams in American diplomatic offices in Paris, Amsterdam and St. Petersburg.
19Finally, Quincy Adams returned to his home in Boston in time to graduate from Harvard.
20He was working as a lawyer by the age of 23.
21Stories confirm that Quincy Adams was a brilliant boy and young man.
22But he rarely compromised his ideas.
23His inability to work with other lawmakers and to consider public opinion were partly to blame for his difficult presidency.
24Quincy Adams may have been a poor politician, but he was an excellent diplomat.
25In the early part of his career, he served as the American ambassador to the Netherlands, Germany, Russia and Britain.
26He helped lead the negotiations that ended the War of 1812.
27And he served for eight years as secretary of state under James Monroe.
28Some of that president's accomplishments owe a lot to Quincy Adams.
29He helped negotiate the purchase of Florida from Spain.
30And, he was of the people responsible for the Monroe Doctrine.
31It warned Europe not to interfere in the Western Hemisphere.
32But Quincy Adams could be impatient, especially with lawmakers.
33Many of them, he believed, did not care much about the country and wanted to help only themselves.
34Quincy Adams also avoided political battles.
35As secretary of state, he appointed people whom he thought were capable, even if they did not support his political party.
36Similarly, when he became president, he tried to bring political opponents -- along with representatives of different parts of the country -- together in his cabinet.
37His opponents, however, refused to serve.
38And, although his cabinet included southerners, he did not really have the support of the South.
39Yet Quincy Adams talked about unity in his presidential inaugural speech.
40Adams said the Constitution and the representative democracy of the United States had proved a success.
41The nation was free and strong and stretched across the continent, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific.
42He noted that political divisions had eased.
43So now, he said, it was time for the people to settle their differences and make a truly national government.
44In his first message to Congress, President Adams described his ideas.
45The chief purpose of the government, he said, was to improve the lives of the people it governed.
46To do this, he offered a national program of building roads and canals.
47He also proposed a national university and a national scientific center.
48Adams said Congress should not be limited to making laws only to improve the nation's economic life.
49He said it should make laws to improve the arts and sciences, too.
50But many people of the West and South did not believe that the Constitution gave the federal government the power to do all these things.
51They believed these powers belonged to the states.
52Their representatives in Congress rejected the president's proposals.
53In addition, a new opposition party was trying to weaken support for Quincy Adams.
54They supported a general from Tennessee named Andrew Jackson.
55Historian Harlow Giles Unger says John Quincy Adams was never able to meet the high expectations many people had for him.
56"His presidency was a complete failure," Unger told VOA.
57"He was able to accomplish nothing."
58Quincy Adams lost the presidential election of 1828 in a landslide.
59He refused to attend the inauguration of Andrew Jackson.
60He returned to his home in Quincy, Massachusetts depressed and worried about the country.
61His wife, Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, believed they were returning to Massachusetts to stay.
62She was an American, but was born in England.
63Her mother was British.
64She was, at the time, the first foreign-born first lady.
65John and Louisa had four children, but their only daughter had died as a baby.
66Their sons were grown by the time Quincy Adams retired from the presidency.
67Soon he became restless.
68Some neighbors asked if Quincy Adams would consider representing the district as a member of the U.S. Congress.
69He agreed - but only if voters would let him act as he believed was right, instead of as what would be politically popular.
70Apparently they agreed, too, because voters elected Quincy Adams to the House of Representatives nine times.
71In Congress, Quincy Adams often fought for citizen's individual liberty.
72He strongly opposed slavery.
73His ideas were not widely popular at the time, especially among other lawmakers.
74They had created a rule that said Congress would not even consider any measures against slavery.
75Yet Quincy Adams defended the rights of enslaved people -- frequently, and sometimes successfully.
76He died at the age of 88, a few days after suffering a stroke on the floor of the House of Representatives.
77At the time, lawmakers were considering a proposal. And, as usual, John Quincy Adams was loudly voting no.
78I'm Kelly Jean Kelly.
1VOA Learning English presents America's Presidents. 2Today we are talking about John Quincy Adams. Does his name sound familiar? John Quincy Adams, the sixth president, was the son of John Adams, the second president. 3Like his father, Quincy Adams had a sharp mind and a difficult personality. And, like his father, Quincy Adams served only one four-year term in office. 4But Quincy Adams went on to have many successful years working in a different job. He is the only former president (so far) to serve in the House of Representatives. 5Great expectations 6The parents of John Quincy Adams, John and Abigail, were strong patriots. Theirs was one of the founding families of America. 7Abigail Adams especially raised her son to serve his country. She expected him to become president. She told him that, with his good education and training, if he did not serve in a high public office it would be his own fault. 8Quincy Adams did not disappoint his mother. As a child, he learned to speak at least four languages and read Greek and Latin. He also studied Shakespeare's plays. 9At age 10, he traveled with his father to Europe. As a young man, he worked alongside John Adams in American diplomatic offices in Paris, Amsterdam and St. Petersburg. 10Finally, Quincy Adams returned to his home in Boston in time to graduate from Harvard. He was working as a lawyer by the age of 23. 11Stories confirm that Quincy Adams was a brilliant boy and young man. But he rarely compromised his ideas. His inability to work with other lawmakers and to consider public opinion were partly to blame for his difficult presidency. 12Poor politician. Excellent diplomat 13Quincy Adams may have been a poor politician, but he was an excellent diplomat. In the early part of his career, he served as the American ambassador to the Netherlands, Germany, Russia and Britain. 14He helped lead the negotiations that ended the War of 1812. 15And he served for eight years as secretary of state under James Monroe. 16Some of that president's accomplishments owe a lot to Quincy Adams. He helped negotiate the purchase of Florida from Spain. 17And, he was of the people responsible for the Monroe Doctrine. It warned Europe not to interfere in the Western Hemisphere. 18But Quincy Adams could be impatient, especially with lawmakers. Many of them, he believed, did not care much about the country and wanted to help only themselves. 19Quincy Adams also avoided political battles. As secretary of state, he appointed people whom he thought were capable, even if they did not support his political party. 20Similarly, when he became president, he tried to bring political opponents -- along with representatives of different parts of the country -- together in his cabinet. 21His opponents, however, refused to serve. 22And, although his cabinet included southerners, he did not really have the support of the South. 23Presidency 24Yet Quincy Adams talked about unity in his presidential inaugural speech. Adams said the Constitution and the representative democracy of the United States had proved a success. The nation was free and strong and stretched across the continent, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific. 25He noted that political divisions had eased. So now, he said, it was time for the people to settle their differences and make a truly national government. 26In his first message to Congress, President Adams described his ideas. 27The chief purpose of the government, he said, was to improve the lives of the people it governed. To do this, he offered a national program of building roads and canals. He also proposed a national university and a national scientific center. 28Adams said Congress should not be limited to making laws only to improve the nation's economic life. He said it should make laws to improve the arts and sciences, too. 29But many people of the West and South did not believe that the Constitution gave the federal government the power to do all these things. They believed these powers belonged to the states. 30Their representatives in Congress rejected the president's proposals. 31In addition, a new opposition party was trying to weaken support for Quincy Adams. They supported a general from Tennessee named Andrew Jackson. 32Historian Harlow Giles Unger says John Quincy Adams was never able to meet the high expectations many people had for him. 33"His presidency was a complete failure," Unger told VOA. "He was able to accomplish nothing." 34Retirement ... sort of 35Quincy Adams lost the presidential election of 1828 in a landslide. 36He refused to attend the inauguration of Andrew Jackson. He returned to his home in Quincy, Massachusetts depressed and worried about the country. 37His wife, Louisa Catherine Johnson Adams, believed they were returning to Massachusetts to stay. She was an American, but was born in England. Her mother was British. She was, at the time, the first foreign-born first lady. 38John and Louisa had four children, but their only daughter had died as a baby. Their sons were grown by the time Quincy Adams retired from the presidency. 39Soon he became restless. 40Some neighbors asked if Quincy Adams would consider representing the district as a member of the U.S. Congress. He agreed - but only if voters would let him act as he believed was right, instead of as what would be politically popular. 41Apparently they agreed, too, because voters elected Quincy Adams to the House of Representatives nine times. 42In Congress, Quincy Adams often fought for citizen's individual liberty. He strongly opposed slavery. His ideas were not widely popular at the time, especially among other lawmakers. They had created a rule that said Congress would not even consider any measures against slavery. 43Yet Quincy Adams defended the rights of enslaved people -- frequently, and sometimes successfully. 44He died at the age of 88, a few days after suffering a stroke on the floor of the House of Representatives. 45At the time, lawmakers were considering a proposal. And, as usual, John Quincy Adams was loudly voting no. 46I'm Kelly Jean Kelly. 47Kelly Jean Kelly wrote this story for VOA Learning English. George Grow was the editor. 48______________________________________________________________ 49Words in This Story 50patriot - n. a person who loves and strongly supports or fights for his or her country 51fault - n. responsibility for a problem, mistake or bad situation 52disappoint - v. to make someone unhappy by not being as good as expected or by not doing something that was hoped for or expected 53graduate - v. to earn a degree or diploma from a school, college, or university 54accomplishment - n. the successful completion of something 55landslide - n. an election in which the winner gets a much greater number of votes than the loser