Malcolm Rivera
John Adams, the second President of the United States, played a significant role in the formation of the US Constitution. Although he did not attend the 1787 Constitutional Convention, he laid the groundwork for the Constitution through his writings and political thought, which influenced the constitution-drafting process. Adams contributed to the first step of identifying the goals and principles that would shape the Constitution, and his ideas on government and individual rights were referenced in state-constitution writing halls. Adams also served as a delegate to the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention of 1779-1780, drafting the Massachusetts Constitution, which became a model for the US Constitution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Attendance at the 1787 Constitutional Convention | Absent |
| Role in the Constitution | Laid the groundwork, assisted in all three steps of constitution-drafting |
| Contribution to "Step 1" of writing the U.S. Constitution | "A Defence of the Constitutions of the United States," published in early 1787 |
| Support for the U.S. Constitution | Supported ratification, supported the addition of a Bill of Rights |
| Influence on the U.S. Constitution | The Massachusetts Constitution, which he primarily authored, influenced the U.S. Constitution; his essay "Thoughts on Government" also influenced the U.S. Constitution |
| Role in the Massachusetts Constitution | Primary author, completed his draft by October 30, 1779 |
| Massachusetts Constitution ratification date | June 15, 1780 |
| Massachusetts Constitution effective date | October 25, 1780 |
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What You'll Learn
John Adams' role in the US Constitution
John Adams played a significant role in the formation of the US Constitution, both directly and indirectly. Notably, he was not present at the 1787 Constitutional Convention, as he was serving as America's ambassador to England at the time. However, Adams laid much of the groundwork for the Constitution and actively participated from across the Atlantic.
Adams's chief contribution to the first step of writing the US Constitution—identifying goals and principles—was his publication of the first volume of "A Defence of the Constitutions of the United States" in early 1787. This circulated at the Constitutional Convention, and participants in the debates over ratification frequently mentioned it. In his book, Adams emphasised four basic constitutional principles, including that just laws are enacted by the consent of the governed or their chosen agents.
Adams also contributed to the formation of the US Constitution through his political writings and thought. His essay "Thoughts on Government" influenced the constitutions drafted in many colonies, including Massachusetts. Additionally, Adams served as the primary author of the Massachusetts Constitution in 1780, which served as a model for the US Constitution. The Massachusetts Constitution, which Adams helped draft, emphasised the paramount importance of individual rights by placing the Declaration of Rights before the Frame of Government. This influenced the US Constitution, as it set a precedent for prioritising individual rights.
Furthermore, Adams assisted Thomas Jefferson in drafting the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and was its primary advocate in Congress. He also helped negotiate a peace treaty with Great Britain and secure vital governmental loans, contributing to the establishment of the United States as a nation. Adams was elected as the first vice president of the United States, serving two terms under George Washington, and was then elected as the country's second president in 1796. During his presidency, Adams faced criticism for his insistence on American neutrality in the French Revolutionary Wars, demonstrating his commitment to prioritising the nation's interests above partisan politics.
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Absence from the 1787 Constitutional Convention
John Adams did not attend the 1787 Constitutional Convention, as he was serving as America's ambassador to England at the time. However, he actively participated from across the Atlantic Ocean and laid much of the groundwork for the Constitution.
Adams was a strong advocate for independence and played a pivotal role in the development of the constitutional form of government in Massachusetts and nationally. He knew that separation from Great Britain must be accompanied by the adoption of written constitutions providing for stable and democratic governments.
In 1780, Adams was the primary author of the Massachusetts Constitution, which was the first constitution written by a special committee and ratified by the people. It was also the first to feature a bicameral legislature, with a distinct executive and an independent judiciary. The Massachusetts Constitution influenced the United States Constitution, as did Adams' essay "Thoughts on Government".
In 1787, Adams published "A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States", which restated his case for a balanced government. This work circulated at the Constitutional Convention and was often mentioned by participants in the debates over the Constitution's ratification. Adams' writings assisted the framers at all three steps of the constitution-drafting process: identifying goals and principles, determining the general outline of a government, and drafting the document.
Adams also corresponded extensively with those writing the Constitution, including Thomas Jefferson, who was serving as Ambassador to France. When Adams saw the proposed United States Constitution, he expressed regret over the absence of a Declaration (or Bill) of Rights.
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Political writings and thought
John Adams was a Massachusetts delegate to the Continental Congress and became a leader of the American Revolution. He assisted Thomas Jefferson in drafting the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and was its primary advocate in Congress. As a diplomat, he helped negotiate a peace treaty with Great Britain and secured vital governmental loans.
Adams's political writings and thought influenced the development of constitutional government. He was supportive of many First Amendment principles, although he did believe in established churches. He was a leading Federalist and supported the new constitution. He penned defences of American rights in the 1770s and was one of the earliest advocates of colonial independence from Great Britain. He also backed an established church and believed that religious establishment need not be subversive of religious freedom. However, he later came to believe that people acted based on the principle of "might makes right" because power always sees itself as being in the right.
Adams was the primary author of the Massachusetts Constitution in 1780, which influenced the United States Constitution. His essay, 'Thoughts on Government', also informed the US Constitution. The Massachusetts Constitution contains three parts: a Preamble, a Declaration of Rights, and a Frame of Government. By placing the Declaration of Rights before the Frame of Government, Adams emphasised that the rights of individuals are paramount. The Declaration of Rights includes prohibitions against unreasonable searches and seizures, ex post facto laws, and the public taking of private property without just compensation. Protected rights include freedom of the press, the right to petition the government, the right to a trial by jury, and freedom of worship. The Declaration of Rights also established an independent judiciary.
Adams's chief contribution to the writing of the US Constitution was the first volume of his three-volume set, 'A Defence of the Constitutions of the United States', published in early 1787. It circulated at the Constitutional Convention and was often mentioned by participants in the debates over the Constitution's ratification. In his book, Adams emphasised four basic constitutional principles: first, just laws are enacted by the consent of the governed or by their chosen agents. He also enlisted many thinkers, including Polybius, Cicero, James Harrington, John Locke, and Baron Montesquieu. Adams's writings assisted the framers of the US Constitution at all three steps of the constitution-drafting process.
Adams also corresponded extensively with those who were writing the US Constitution. For example, when Adams saw the proposed US Constitution, he was disappointed by the absence of a Declaration (or Bill) of Rights. He wrote to Thomas Jefferson, who was serving as Ambassador to France, "What think you of a Declaration of Rights? Should not such a thing have preceded the model?". Adams supported both the ratification of the US Constitution and the prompt addition of a Bill of Rights.
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The Massachusetts Constitution
John Adams, a Massachusetts delegate to the Continental Congress, played a significant role in the American Revolution and the formation of the United States Constitution. Although he did not attend the 1787 Constitutional Convention, he laid the groundwork for the Constitution both in Massachusetts and during his time abroad as America's ambassador to England.
Now, let's focus on the Massachusetts Constitution and John Adams' involvement in it.
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Support for the First Amendment
John Adams, one of America's founding fathers, contributed to the development of constitutional government through his writings. He supported the First Amendment, though he did believe in established churches.
Adams was a Massachusetts delegate to the Continental Congress and became a leader of the revolution. He assisted Thomas Jefferson in drafting the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and was its primary advocate in Congress. Adams was the primary author of the Massachusetts Constitution in 1780, which influenced the United States Constitution. He also wrote the three-volume set, "A Defence of the Constitutions of the United States," published in early 1787. This circulated at the Constitutional Convention and was often mentioned by participants in the debates over the Constitution's ratification.
Adams's writings assisted the framers of the Constitution at all three steps of the constitution-drafting process. He was motivated to write "A Defence" by criticism of American state constitutions from the prominent French economist and statesman Anne-Robert-Jacques Turgot. In his book, Adams quoted Polybius, Cicero, James Harrington, John Locke, Baron Montesquieu, and others. In his "Defence," Adams emphasized four basic constitutional principles: First, just laws are enacted by the consent of the governed or by their chosen agents.
Adams supported the principles of religious liberty and republicanism embodied in the First Amendment. He backed an established church and believed that religious establishment need not be subversive of religious freedom. However, he later came to believe that people acted based on the principle of "might makes right" because power always sees itself as being in the right. Governmental checks and balances, therefore, might be the only defense against religiously motivated tyranny.
Adams was serving as vice president when the first Congress proposed and adopted the Bill of Rights. He corresponded extensively with Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Rush, and other leading figures of the American founding. Despite his support for the First Amendment, Adams believed it was illegal to criticize the president. He used his power to imprison two dozen newspaper editors under the Sedition Act.
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Frequently asked questions
No, John Adams did not attend the 1787 Constitutional Convention. He was America's ambassador to England at the time.
John Adams laid the groundwork for the US Constitution through his writings and political thought. His essay, "Thoughts on Government", influenced the writing of many state constitutions, including the Massachusetts Constitution, which in turn influenced the US Constitution. Adams also contributed to the first step of writing the US Constitution—identifying its goals and principles—through his work "A Defence of the Constitutions of the United States".
John Adams supported the US Constitution and its ratification. However, he was disappointed by the absence of a Declaration or Bill of Rights, which he believed should have preceded the model. Adams supported the addition of a Bill of Rights to the US Constitution, as seen in his endorsement of the Massachusetts Constitution, which included a Declaration of Rights.
Yes, John Adams was the primary author of the Massachusetts Constitution, which was ratified in 1780. He was also a delegate to the Massachusetts Constitutional Convention of 1779-1780.
John Adams influenced the development of constitutional government in the US through his political writings and thought. His ideas on the separation of powers and individual rights shaped the principles of the US Constitution. Adams also contributed to the US Constitution's goals and principles, which were debated during the ratification process from 1787 to 1790.
