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John Quincy Adams (July 11th, 1767 Quincy, Massachusetts- February 23rd, 1848 Washington, D.C.) Political Party: Whig Terms of Office: One (March 4th, 1825- March 4th, 1829) Vice President: John Calhoun

Throughout John Quincy Adams presidency, the American Identity was altered, discovered, and created through the history that happened and the events that unfolded. One of the most monumental phenomenon was the completion of the Erie Canal. First began in 1817 by Governor Dewitt Clinton, it was considered the most folly and disastrous attempts at improved transportation ever. However, when it was completed on October 26th, 1825 the nation embraced it as a new found route from Lake Erie in the west to the eastward Hudson River. 40 feet wide and 4 feet deep, it now transported up to 30 tons of freight with a towpath following the canal for horses, mules, and oxen. Because of the Erie Canal, cities along the route grew exponentially especially New York City and Buffalo. Many cities filled with ethnic Irish communities, the very people who helped build the canal. Additionally it increased the importance, wealth, and power of New York, for they controlled the now necessary water route. Not only did it effect New York, it’s completion was felt across the country opening eastern and overseas markets to the Midwestern industry and allowing easier migration to the west. To add to it, land removed from the ditch was moved to New York and New Jersey to be used as landfill. Overall, not only was transportation faster and easier, it was cheaper, strengthening and enlarging the rapidly growing national market economy. It allowed Adams to continue to push westward expansion and gave him more support to his want of internal improvements. Because the Erie canal was such a success, more people now urged for public transportation like roads and canals, leading him to gain more supporters to his cause therefore ultimately making his goals more successful. It altered the American Identity because as still shown today, there are dense populations of Irish populations among the remains of the canal, descendants of the original workers who constructed the canal. Also, it helped spark the migration of people from east to west due to more prosperity in the west and an easier journey route. Lastly, it created a bigger market in the west for American products, allowing more people to remain there and still earn a living.

Additionally, another event during Adam’s presidency that shaped the American Identity was the publication of the first popular American dictionary in 1828 by Daniel Webster. Webster established a system of rules to govern spelling grammar, and reading including their definitions and precise word usage. Not only did this help people of all ages, it was based off the bible. This shows America’s early identity as a heavily Christian populated country with high moral respect for the bible and what it contained. It showed America was developing its own dialect, finally cutting its ties with the old world countries. We no longer had British influences, but our own mixture of the plethora of cultures present on American soil. Thus, the American Identity was shaped in which we developed a sense of Independence and pride for how we spoke and its differences from our neighbors. The presidency was affected because now with an accepted book of spellings for words that previously had multiple versions, officials were more closely scrutinized by their constituents on their publications, letters, and speeches. Thus, they were held to a higher standard of education and correct grammar.

John Quincy Adams deserves a C+ for his presidency. While faced with much opposition due to the “corrupt bargain” at the initial phase of his election, he was one of the only presidents to enter office without earning a majority of the votes from both the Electoral College and the general population. Due to this, it was hard to accomplish anything for the public and most noticeably congress was constantly scrutinizing him, not allowing him to accomplish anything major by shooting down his ideas and bills. However, by overcoming great adversity he accomplished minimally improving internal improvements by creating public schools, roads, and most notably the C &O Canal. But once again, he deserves a low grade for creating the Tariff of 1828. This tariff only increased sectionalism, promoting the states in the future to succeed from the Union.

During his presidency, J.Q. Adams’ top priority was to increase international improvements. He proposed that the federal government should bring the states together with a network of canals, roads, and highways thus preserving the public domain. These improvements would be made with profits from the sale of public lands. This goal was well accomplished most noticeably when he broke ground for the C & O Canal in 1828 at the end of his presidency. Additionally, he strived to develop the arts and sciences through the federal government. This goal was only moderately accomplished. Although he wanted to establish a national university, finance scientific expeditions, and erect an astronomical observatory, the public was in outrage over the wasteful spending of their tax dollars. Thus, he was unable to complete them and only work on this goal moderately. Lastly, he promised to make up for the “corrupt bargain” through his actions during the term. Aware that over ⅔ of the people were against his election and knowing he didn’t win the popular vote, he swore to show the people he was the right choice. However, a staunch supporter of a strong federal government, he once again angered the general population for his views against slavery, Indian rights, international improvements, lack of spoils system, and raising tariffs.

During the duration of Adams’ presidency, the 19th and 20th House of Representatives met and adjourned. During the 19th House of Representatives adjournment, 109 delegates out of 213 were supporters of him, only outnumbering the supporters of Jackson by five. Meanwhile, the 20th House of Representatives consisted of 100 Adams supporters out of 213, thirteen less than the Jackson supporters. By looking at this data, both political parties appeared equally represented and the increase of Jackson supporters within the second session indicates that as Adams’ presidency wore on, more people became dissatisfied. Looking at the senate, the 19th session included 22 out of 48 supporters of Adam’s, making Adams the minority party by four seats. The 20th session shows 21 out of 48 seats occupied by Adams supporters. This once again shows he is the minority party in the senate by six seats. Both sessions of the senate showed Adams’ party as the minority, and like the house seats the opposing party gained seats between the 19th and 20th sessions. Overall it seems the House of Representatives had about equal support for both parties and the senate favored the opposing parties. Both legislatures were unhappy with Adams, thus lost seats to the opposing party. It seems mostly Adams had an unsuccessful relationship with congress. He tried to promote the “American System”, a way to increase America’s economy through internal improvements through a national bank, protective tariff, and federal subsidies for roads, highways, and canals. With little success, he was only able to pass a tariff in 1828 also known as the Tariff of Abomination designed to protect American industry against its European counterparts. This bill was passed by a slim margin of 105-94 in the house. Adams accomplished little in his presidency because of his uncooperative relationship with the legislative branch but what bills did get passed were widely regarded as unpopular among the common man. Because he lacked congressional allies, he had trouble passing anything and many of his foreign initiatives were shot down by congress.

The decision that Adams’ administration made that had the most positive impact was the choice to create and adhere to the “American System” economic plan. Although many states rights supporters disliked this, it ultimately provided for a stronger infrastructure within the country and allowed for easier transportation across the land. This plan supported a high tariff to protect the American industry, maintain high public land prices to generate more revenue, preserve the Bank of the United States to stabilize the currency, and provide for international improvements like roads and canals. Overall, it increased federal revenue and prevented the creation of risky “wildcat banks” who would in the future be a partial cause for the panic of 1837. The decision that had the most negative impact was the tariff in 1828 also known as the Tariff of Abominations. This protective tariff was designed to increase the cost of imported goods protecting the newly created industries of the north by decreasing the foreign competitiveness. This increased tariff was actually created and supported by Jacksonians hoping the bill would be defeated and cause Adams to lose supporters. However, the bill passed and Jackson took the fall for it. While the North greatly supported the tariff, the South opposed it because they mainly focused on exporting cotton and had to import many of their basic needs. Although this tariff did decrease American dependence on Britain, it angered the South. It drove up prices for all Americans and was followed by retaliatory tariffs by European trading partners who purchased American agricultural goods. Some states in the South became so enraged they began formal protests. They felt the tariff discriminated against the South for the Northeast, West and Southwest were all prospering while the south remained relatively dormant. This anger was most noticeably in South Carolina where they published the pamphlet //The Exposition// publicly announcing the tariff as unjust and unconstitutional. After much debate, South Carolina threatened to succeed from the union and after awhile the argument was only calmed by John Calhoun, the vice president. Additionally, the South feared that this could lead to the government’s interference with slavery thus cried that the tariff was an encroachment on states’ rights. This only furthered the feelings of sectionalism between the country, burying the bubbling issue of slavery once more.

One of the most monumental decisions of Jon Quincy Adams short presidential career was the choice to charter and created the C &O Canal in 1825. Beginning in Western Pennsylvania along the Ohio River, it ran along the Potomac River in DC along for a shipping route between the eastern coast and the trans-Allegheny West. This canal impacted future generations because not only did it provide for a cheaper, faster transit of goods to the eastern coast, it improved western expansion much like the Erie Canal, creating a denser population westward. Also, its effects are shown today in which it is virtually unbroken and has received no substantial modifications along it’s 185 miles. Although it wasn’t completed until 1840, 22 years after Adams’ presidency, he broke ground for it and convinced the government it was necessary during a period of hatred toward internal improvements. Other effects from the creation of this canal was a multitude of jobs for the American Economy, expanding it’s new market economy, and a way to carry coal, America’s new found natural resource. Today, the canal remains a historical landmark and a public park allowing spectators to learn a part of America’s history and take in the beauty of America’s landscape.

Adams faced much opposition throughout his presidency, in fact made more of an impact to American once he became involved in congress shortly after leaving the presidency. He left America much in the same position it was in before entering the job. For all of his accomplishments, it was followed by failures. For this, he clearly deserves a C+. By starting off his presidency with rumors of corruption, nothing else could be accomplished. Right after his election, Jackson started campaigning knowing he would win against the already struggling Adams. Adams did promote the “American System” developing America’s infrastructure and improving westward expansion. However, as stated before he increased feelings of sectionalism by supporting the Tariff of 1828. Overall, it seems Adams was not a monumental president, only leaving office with feelings of not accomplishing anything and great rivals. Works Cited "1828 Edition of Webster's American Dictionary of the English Language." //Msshaffer.com//. 3 Oct. 2011. Web. 3 Oct. 2011. .

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<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif;">Sadowski Jr., Frank E. ""Clinton's Big Ditch"" //The Erie Canal//. Genesee Gateway, 2011. Web. 03 Oct. 2011. <http://www.eriecanal.org/>.

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