The Political Life of John Quincy Adams
             John Quincy Adams was born on July 11, 1767 in Quincy, Massachusetts. John was born the oldest son of John and Abigail Adams. John Quincy's father was of course the second President of the United States, which made for a life of both privilege and great expectations. "Johnny", as he was called as a young man, was expected to achieve great things as he was blessed with great gifts. He was often reminded of this, and his success seemed not only expected, but required. John was introduced to the world outside of the United States at a very early age, spending years in Europe with his famous father. He was educated at Harvard, and after graduation entered the practice of law. His practice in law was rather unsuccessful, which came with great surprise as he was the son of the then vice president of the United States. With law not working out for John, he began to focus on politics. At the tender age of twenty-six, Adams was appointed by George Washington to the position of Minister to the Netherlands. It was during this time that he found his future wife, Louisa Catherine Johnson. The two were married in 1797, despite the uncertainties of his father. By 1802 Adams had made quite a name for himself thanks to many diplomatic missions to Europe, and was nominated to the U.S. Senate. This began his roller coaster ride which would be his political career.
             As a U.S. Senator from Massachusetts, Adams was considered a member of the Federalist Party. However, when Thomas Jefferson's Louisiana Purchase was in debate in the House and Senate, Adams did not live up to the expectations of his party. He supported the Purchase, the only Federalist to do so, and was subsequently dropped from the Massachusetts Legislature. Adams in turn aligned himself with the Republican Party, which helped launch his political career into the next gear. Adams would shortly thereafter be appo...