John Quincy Adams held almost every conceivable position in the United States government: secretary to American envoys, minister abroad, senator, secretary of state, congressman, and of course, president. Yet, he is rarely associated with his tenure in the country’s most powerful office. Instead, he is remembered for a series of successful diplomatic postings, his masterful formulation of foreign policy as secretary of state, and an unprecedented and never repeated post-presidential congressional career marked by his tenacious fight against slavery.
Adams’s career produced a vision for the future of the United States and its role in the world. As president, he pitched this vision to the American people. At that moment, they did not have the good sense to embrace it. Future generations, however, have drawn inspiration from Adams’s vision—and his guidance is more relevant in the twenty-first century than ever. Adams’s presidency cannot be separated from the rest of his lengthy career, and it reminds us that visionary leaders leave a lasting impact long after their time in office.
John Quincy’s early career delivered several important lessons about global politics and the United States’ place in the world. At twelve years old, he sailed to Paris to serve as his father’s secretary. A few years later, he accompanied American envoy Francis Dana to St. Petersburg to serve as a translator. Watching the elder Adams and Dana navigate a series of diplomatic defeats in France and Russia, John Quincy learned the hard way that the new United States held little power and influence. He also observed that the powerful empires willingly used the U.S. as a pawn in their centuries-long battles.
A few decades later, Adams occupied the most powerful positions in the diplomatic corps as the lead negotiator to end the War of 1812, the Ambassador to Great Britain, and the secretary of state. As Adams acquired experience, wisdom, and power, the young nation paralleled his rise. By 1820, the United States had steadily expanded west and south, displacing Native nations, and filling the land with white settlers and Black enslaved workers. The American population had exploded, from 2 million in 1767 when John Quincy Adams was born to 9.6 million in 1820, and its economic power reflecting the growing demand.