History of John Adams and Term Paper

As many historians admit, his skills in argument and rhetoric were instrumental in getting the Declaration accepted by the American people. As mentioned, this was not an easy task, as there were many who were opposed and some leaders even threatened that "...their states would secede from the fragile union if independence were declared. Leaders of the Congress, such as Adams, risked being executed as traitors to the Crown" (Leopold).

Conclusion

It is possibly more correct when evaluating Adams as an individual to say that he was "... respected but not popular..." (John Adams: biography) However he is regarded as one of the founding fathers of the United States, whose contribution to the reception and drafting of the Declaration of Independence was extremely significant, as would be his contribution as the second president of the country. (the Religious Affiliation of Second U.S. President John Adams) as David McCullough states; "He was a living embodiment of New England virtues and idiosyncrasies, a brilliant attorney, and a determined patriot. Stubbornly independent of spirit, his demanding conscience was truly his guide" (McCullough). Historically much can be said about Adams, both positive and negative. His character is often described as being overly meticulous and vain. In the final analysis these minor flaws are of little significance and history accepts that he played an invaluable part in the freedom and independence of America.It should also be remembered that his contribution to the country went beyond the Declaration of Independence. "Adams' dedication to his country never wavered. In succeeding years he would serve, with varying degrees of success, as diplomat, ambassador, vice president, and president" (Leopold).

Bibliography

John Adams: 1735-1826. http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/signers/adams_j.htm. (Accessed June 24, 2007).

Leopold T. John Adams: A force for independence. http://cnnstudentnews.cnn.com/2001/fyi/news/07/03/john.adams/index.html. (Accessed June 24, 2007).

John Adams: biography. http://www.answers.com/topic/john-adams. (Accessed June 24, 2007).

John Adams ? Second President of the United States of America. http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A10083935. (Accessed June 24, 2007).

McCullough D. John Adams. http://www.futurecasts.com/Mccullough,%20John%20Adams.htm. (Accessed June 24, 2007).

The Religious Affiliation of Second U.S. President John Adams. http://www.adherents.com/people/pa/John_Adams.html. (Accessed June 24, 2007).

The Road to Independence. http://venezuela.usembassy.gov/wwwh268.html. (Accessed June 24, 2007)......