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 * //John Quincy Adams

July 11, 1767- February 23, 1848

John Q. Adams did not have a specific party during his terms. He claimed he was "a man of his own country." After his presidency, he joined the Whig party.

Vice President: John C. Calhoun//**

John Quincy Adams seemed to do the bare minimum as president. During his administration, he did not make any drastic positive or negative changes. He supported internal improvements, and was able to follow through with building canals and a road. On the negative side, he passed a tariff that was much too high. None of Adams’ decisions put him above or below other presidents. For this reason, I believe Adams deserves a C for his term as president.

John Quincy Adams' main goal was to internally improve America. He was for the common good, and didn't appreciate people who held states rights above the good of the nation. Adams hoped to establish a national university and a national naval academy. He hoped that a naval academy would train patriotic leaders, that were needed for the country. Adams also wanted to advance America scientifically. He wanted a survey taken of the nations land and resources to improve human life. Adams also hoped to build and astronomical observatory. John Quincy Adams goals were a little too ambitious for the time period. They were well thought out and eventually, would advance America but citizens thought they were too unrealistic for the 1820's. Therefore, Adams did not complete any of the above goals listed. He was able to, however, internally improve America by extending Columbia Road and building two canals.

Initially, John Quincy Adams and congress had an iffy relationship. Congress was not to happy with Adams after he and Henry Clay had performed the "corrupt bargain". Henry Clay urged the House to elect Adams as president and, in return Adams made Clay secretary of state. Congress began to trust Adams a little more, when he delivered his first Annual Message and called for a national program to bring the sections of America together. During Adams' presidency, he and Congress did not pass too much legislation. The legislation they did pass, however, they agreed on. Some examples would be expanding the Cumberland Road, creating the Chesapeake and Ohio canal, and passing the Tariff of Abominations. A disagreement arose when Congress decided to repeal the tariff, because they thought it was unjust. Besides that, Adams and Congress worked well together throughout his presidency.

John Quincy Adams was passionate about internal improvements. He once said, “…our //national// government is constituted without the power of discharging the first //duty// of a nation, that of bettering its own condition by internal improvement.” Because of his passion for internal improvement, he pushed construction for a network of roads and canals. It was too ambitious to complete a network of roads and canals, but Adams was able to extend Cumberland Road west into Ohio. He also constructed the Chesapeake and Ohio canal. These improvements were positive additions to the country because the country was able to grow. Trade within the nation was now much easier, and goods were easily received. Along with the extension of Cumberland Road, came further immigration to the west. This thus expanded and settled other parts of America.

Trade was moving along quite well after the decisions Adam made towards internal improvement. Trade with other countries was also very prosperous. Then came the Tariff of Abominations. This was meant to protect domestic industry on imported manufactured goods. It was centered towards New England. This tariff caused hardships for the citizens of America and for Jackson as well. The citizens of America faced hard times because they could no longer easily purchase imported goods. Some manufacturers needed imported goods to help run their businesses. This thus led to a loss of money among some American citizens. Adams became unpopular because of his decision. His own Vice President, John C. Calhoun turned against him, calling the tariff “unconstitutional, oppressive, and unjust.” Calhoun then claimed that the state had the right to nullify federal laws. Adams had also unknowingly partially caused the panic of 1837. For this reason, the Tariff of Abominations was the most negative decision during Adams’ presidency.

The Tariff of Abominations also had effects on the future of America. Because of the tariff, John C. Calhoun drafted the South Carolina Exposition. This exposition claimed that states had a right to nullify federal laws that were seen as unconstitutional, oppressive, and unjust. This led to future administrations being more cautious to the states reactions to bills passed by Congress. Also, it gave the states a say in unfair bills that could potentially be passed. So, John Quincy Adams and his decision to pass the Tariff of Abominations unknowingly, left and imprint one future presidential administrations.

In conclusion, John Quincy Adams was a very plain president. Plain meaning, he didn't add anything big or take away much from America during his terms. I don't think the country was worse off after Adams' presidency but I don't think America grew much as a nation either. His positive choices, like expanding Cumberland Road balance out his negative choices, like the Tariff of Abominations. Because they balance each other out, Adams' was neither a fantastic president nor an awful one. For these reasons, I think John Quincy Adams deserves a C for his term as president. A C seems like a fair grade considering Adams did his best to stay average during his time as president.

"Adams National Historical Park - John Quincy Adams Biography Page 3 (U.S. National Park Service)." //U.S. National Park Service - Experience Your America//. N.p., 30 July 2006. Web. 4 Mar. 2010. . Degregorio, William A.. //The Complete Book of U.S. Presidents, Seventh Edition (Complete Book of Us Presidents)//. 7 ed. Fort Lee: Barricade Books, 2009. Print. "John Quincy Adams | The White House." //The White House//. N.p., n.d. Web. 4 Mar. 2010. .