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1-Page Summary of John Adams

Overview

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were two of the most important figures in American history. They were friends for over fifty years, but their relationship was not always smooth. Their letters to each other are among the most famous documents in American history. This book is a collection of all those letters, making it possible to see how these two men thought about each other and the world around them.

This letter covers many different topics, from government to family issues. It also includes a correspondence between Jefferson and Abigail Adams about some of the same subjects.

The two men mostly discussed politics in the beginning of their correspondence. However, as they aged, and especially after their retirements from politics, they began to discuss philosophical matters. They were both students of history and political science; this interest led them to have a hand in creating the nation’s government.

The editor of the Adams-Jefferson Letters has organized them into thirteen chapters, each one covering a different period in their lives. While there are many other topics covered in the letters, Cappon highlights important issues that were relevant at that particular time. Overall, we get an impression that these two men are worthy of their high reputation despite their flaws and struggles over time.

The first chapter contains letters from 1777 to 1781. During that time, Adams and Jefferson were both advocates of the revolution and discuss mostly the affairs of the young American nation. The second chapter contains letters from 1784 to 1785 at which point they had become diplomats in Europe. Their letters primarily concern diplomatic matters during this period as well, with one exception: Chapter three is about their difficulties with commerce and includes a discussion on piracy near North Africa.

Chapter four covers correspondence between May 1786 to January 1887 and discusses issues such as trade negotiations with European powers like France, Spain, Holland, Portugal etc., Barbary Pirates (North African pirates) attacks on US ships in Mediterranean sea and other related incidents/issues.

Chapter five covers the events leading up to the ratification of the United States Constitution and includes a discussion about good government. In chapter six, we discuss securing loans from Dutch bankers for our new country.

Chapter seven covers the period from April 1790 to March 1801. Adams and Jefferson served in President Washington’s administration during this time, but they didn’t correspond much because they were both busy with their own lives. Chapter eight runs from May to October 1804, when Adams and Jefferson stopped corresponding due to political differences. The next chapter covers January 1812 to June 1813, which was a period of reconciliation between the two men after their disagreement over politics.

Chapter nine is about how their correspondence resumed in June 1813 and continued until July 4th, Independence Day in America.

Chapter ten (June – December 1813) discusses a variety of philosophical matters, as does chapter eleven (January 1814 to May 1816). This time also sees the two men discuss the issues and events surrounding the war of 1812. Chapter twelve, August 1816 – December 1819, discusses Jefferson’s project of creating the University of Virginia and educational reform generally. And chapter thirteen (January 1820 – April 1826) contains their final letters back and forth discussing their lives in general.

Chapter Ten: June-December Eighteen Thirteen

Chapter Eleven: January Nineteen Fourteen To May Nineteen Sixteen