John Quincy Adams
President of the United States from 1825 to 1829
John Quincy Adams: diplomat, president and congressman
A diplomatic education
John Quincy Adams accompanied his father to Europe during the American Revolution and later served as secretary to the U.S. minister to Russia. After graduating from Harvard in 1787 and training as a lawyer, he entered public life. Appointments in the Netherlands, Prussia and Russia made diplomacy the foundation of his long career.
Treaties before the White House
Adams helped negotiate the 1814 Treaty of Ghent, which ended the War of 1812. As secretary of state under James Monroe, he shaped negotiations with Britain and Spain. The Adams–Onís Treaty brought Florida to the United States, while his thinking also informed the unilateral declaration known as the Monroe Doctrine.
A presidency and a second legislative career
Adams served as the sixth U.S. president from 1825 to 1829. His ambitions met persistent political opposition, and Andrew Jackson defeated him in the 1828 election. Unlike most former presidents, Adams returned to elected office in the House of Representatives, serving Massachusetts from 1831 until 1848 and opposing the territorial spread of slavery.
Data and sources
U.S. Department of State — John Quincy Adams ↗