For Throwback Thursday, I’m throwing back to John Adams. Why? Last year, I binge watched the entire HBO Series “John Adams” on the 4th of July. If you haven’t had the chance to see that series, I can’t recommend it highly enough – you can stream free with Amazon Prime.
Fun facts about John:
- None of John’s family members went to his Presidential inauguration. How sad is that?
- John and Thomas Jefferson were famously rivals in politics – but died on the same day (July 4, 1826) exactly 50 years after signing the Declaration of Independence. Adams last words? “Thomas Jefferson survives” – but he didn’t.
- His son John Quincy Adams became the 6th President. John’s birthplace of Braintree, Massachusetts was renamed Quincy in his honor.
- John was the first President to live in the White House – although it wasn’t quite finished when he and Abigail moved in four months before his term ended.
- John was a devoted husband, writing more than 1,100 letters to Abigail – most of which have survived to this day. In contrast, historians only know of 3 letters that George Washington wrote to his wife Martha.
- The Constitution of the State of Massachusetts was written mostly by John Adams – and served as the model for the U.S Constitution.
David McCullough wrote an excellent biography of John Adams but if you’d like other suggestions try this link to more great books about John.
Famous quote by John Adams – “Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”
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