On October 30, 1735, John Adams was born in Braintree, Massachusetts, now Quincy. He became a leading lawyer, critic of British policy, and advocate for independence. Adams served in the Continental Congress and helped draft the Declaration of Independence. Later, he became the first U.S. vice president and the second U.S. president. His term in office included strained relations with France and domestic disputes over the Alien and Sedition Acts. Adams’s political writings and private letters provide detailed views of early American politics and family life.
