Published on October 1, 2008 by Kevin
John Adams was born October 30th, 1735 and died July 4th, 1826. He was one of the most important figures for the foundation of the United States of America. He served as the nation’s first vice president for the first two terms under George Washington, and was the nations 2nd president serving one term. His vice president, Thomas Jefferson, defeated him in the election and became the nation’s 3rd president. Ironically, Adams and Jefferson both died on the same date, the 50th anniversary of the declaration of independence.
John Adams was married to Abigail Smith in 1764. They had five children, and John Quincy Adams would one day be president of the United States as well. Adams was a prominent lawyer in his state of Massachusetts, going to Harvard College at the age of 16. Prior to the revolution, he defended Brittish soldiers after the Boston massacre. He then pleaded with the colonies to form a declaration of independence from Britain. During the war, he headed to France and Holland for financial and military support.
After the revolution was won by the Americans, a new constitution and government was installed with the influence of Adams. Colonel George Washington was elected to be the first leader of the new country, with Adams receiving the second highest amount of votes, which landed him the VP slot.
Adams lived another 25 years after being defeated by Jefferson. He outlived his wife and his daughter, but lived to see his son John Quincy become the 6th president of the United States.
Published on April 23, 2008 by Kevin
Thomas Jefferson and John Adams both died on the same day, July 4, 1826. This day also happened to be the fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, a document Thomas Jefferson authored.
After George Washington retired from the Presidency, John Adams became President and Thomas Jefferson became Vice-President. The two men had disagreed politically throughout the Washington Administration, and were only both elected because in those days, whomever came in second in the Presidential vote became Vice-President. During the Adams Administration, the two differed on almost every issue, and Jefferson defeated Adams and took the Presidency in 1800. To make a long story short, although they had worked together in the cause for independence, Adams and Jefferson became truly bitter enemies when political parties began to form around each of them.
Luckily, Adams and Jefferson reconciled in their retirement and they became the absolute best of friends as they lived out their final years. Both men were conscious of living to see the fiftieth Fourth of July, and both, despite knowing they were on their death beds, made genuine efforts to hang on to dear life until the day had come.
John Adams’s final words were (supposedly), “Thomas Jefferson survives.” But he was wrong. Jefferson had died just hours earlier at Monticello.
Five years to the day after Adams and Jefferson died — on July 4, 1831 — the fifth President, James Monroe, passed away. So three presidents have died on the same date: July 4th.
