John Adams was the second President of the United States, serving from 1797 to 1801, right after George Washington. Before becoming president, Adams played a crucial role in America's founding: he strongly supported the Declaration of Independence, served as a diplomat in Europe during the Revolutionary War, and became the nation's first Vice President.

Adams faced a difficult challenge: following the beloved Washington while dealing with bitter disagreements between political parties. He kept the young nation out of war with France, a decision that cost him popularity but likely saved the country from disaster. He lost his reelection campaign to Thomas Jefferson in 1800, in part because members of his own political party turned against him.

What makes Adams particularly interesting is his partnership with his wife, Abigail Adams, who was one of the smartest and most influential women of her era. Their letters to each other reveal a close partnership and show how they thought about building a new nation. Adams lived to age 90, longer than any president until Ronald Reagan, and died on July 4, 1826, about fifty years after the Declaration of Independence was adopted. Remarkably, Thomas Jefferson died the same day. Adams's last words were reportedly “Thomas Jefferson survives,” though Jefferson had actually died a few hours earlier.