34 moments

1. Birth on the Adams family farm

   1735-10-30 · John Adams Birthplace, Quincy, Massachusetts, United States

   

   John Adams was born on the family farm in the part of Braintree that is now Quincy, Massachusetts. The birthplace was historically in Braintree and is now in Quincy.

2. Entered Harvard College

   1751-01-01 · Harvard College, Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States

   Adams began his Harvard education at age sixteen.

3. Schoolteacher after Harvard graduation

   1755-01-01 · Worcester, Massachusetts, United States

   After earning his A.B., Adams temporarily taught school while considering his future career.

4. Read law under James Putnam

   1756-01-01 · Worcester, Massachusetts, United States

   Adams began legal training under Worcester lawyer James Putnam, a formative step in his professional career.

5. Boston residence on Brattle Street

   1768-01-01 · Brattle Street, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

   

   Adams, Abigail, and their children lived in the Brattle Street house for a year after their move to Boston. Date is limited to the year of the documented April move.

6. Moved family to Boston

   1768-04-01 · Brattle Street, Boston, Massachusetts, United States

   

   Adams relocated his household to Boston to concentrate on his growing law practice. Coordinate represents central Boston; the former Brattle Street residence no longer survives as a precisely identifiable site.

7. Moved family back to Braintree

   1771-01-01 · Braintree, Massachusetts, British America

   

   Adams moved his family from Boston to Braintree while maintaining his Boston legal office. Braintree is identified at modern settlement coordinates.

8. Returned household to Boston

   1772-08-01 · Queen Street, Boston, Massachusetts, British America

   Dissatisfied with Braintree as a family home, Adams relocated his family back to Boston. Coordinate represents central Boston; Queen Street was later renamed State Street.

9. First Continental Congress

   1774-01-01 · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, British America

   

   As a Massachusetts delegate to the First Continental Congress, Adams arrived in Philadelphia and joined its Grand Committee. Coordinate is Independence Hall, the principal Continental Congress venue.

10. Returned to the Braintree farm

    1774-01-01 · Braintree, Massachusetts, British America

    

    Amid instability in Boston, John and Abigail Adams returned their family to the farm that became their permanent Massachusetts home. Braintree is identified at modern settlement coordinates.

11. Returned for Second Continental Congress

    1775-01-01 · Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, British America

    

    After the opening battles of the Revolution, Adams returned to Philadelphia as leader of the Massachusetts delegation to the Second Continental Congress. The source gives the movement relative to the April 1775 opening hostilities; year precision is retained.

12. Advocated independence in Congress

    1776-06-07 · Independence Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

    

    Adams seconded Richard Henry Lee's resolution declaring the colonies free and independent states. The surrounding account places the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia; coordinate is Independence Hall.

13. Staten Island Peace Conference

    1776-09-11 · Billop Manor, Staten Island, New York, United States

    Adams was one of three Continental Congress delegates who met Lord Howe in an unsuccessful attempt to negotiate peace.

14. Returned home after peace conference

    1776-10-01 · Braintree, Massachusetts, United States

    

    Following the Staten Island conference, Adams returned to his Braintree home before resuming congressional duties. Braintree is identified at modern settlement coordinates.

15. Arrived in France as commissioner

    1778-04-01 · France

    Adams reached France aboard the frigate Boston on his first diplomatic mission to the country. The source establishes arrival in France but not a landing port; coordinate is a representative point for France.

16. Forced landing at Ferrol

    1779-01-01 · Ferrol, Galicia, Spain

    On his subsequent mission to France, a leak forced Adams's ship to land at Ferrol; he then traveled overland toward Paris with his sons. The source places the journey after his November 1779 departure but does not date the Ferrol landing more precisely.

17. Departed France

    1779-03-08 · France

    Frustrated by his diminished role in the American mission, Adams left France with John Quincy Adams. The source does not identify Adams's departure point; coordinate is representative for France.

18. Returned from first French mission

    1779-08-02 · Braintree, Massachusetts, United States

    

    Adams and John Quincy Adams arrived back in Braintree after leaving France. Braintree is identified at modern settlement coordinates.

19. Took up residence in Amsterdam

    1780-08-01 · Amsterdam, Dutch Republic

    Adams established himself in Amsterdam while seeking a Dutch loan for the United States.

20. Presented credentials at The Hague

    1781-04-19 · The Hague, Dutch Republic

    Adams formally presented his credentials to the Dutch government as ambassador.

21. Signed Treaty of Paris

    1783-09-03 · Hotel d'York, 56 Rue Jacob, Paris, Kingdom of France

    

    Adams signed the treaty that ended the War of American Independence and recognized U.S. independence. Coordinate is a representative point at present-day 56 Rue Jacob.

22. First audience with George III

    1785-06-01 · London, Kingdom of Great Britain

    As the first American ambassador to Great Britain, Adams had his first formal audience with King George III in London. The source identifies London but not the precise palace or room for the audience; coordinate represents central London.

23. Formal leave at The Hague

    1788-01-01 · The Hague, Dutch Republic

    

    Before returning to America, Adams went to The Hague to take formal leave of his Dutch ambassadorship and arrange loan refinancing.

24. Returned to Massachusetts

    1788-06-17 · Massachusetts, United States

    

    Adams returned from Europe to a public welcome in Massachusetts before the first U.S. presidential election. The source does not specify a town; coordinate is a representative point for Massachusetts.

25. Began vice presidency

    1789-04-21 · New York City, New York, United States

    

    Adams arrived in New York and began serving as the first vice president of the United States. Coordinate represents New York City, then the national capital.

26. Occupied President's House

    1797-03-01 · President's House, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

    

    Adams began his presidency while residing at the President's House in the temporary national capital. Coordinate marks the site of the former President's House.

27. Stayed at Peacefield during peace crisis

    1799-03-01 · Peacefield, Quincy, Massachusetts, United States

    

    During debate over a new peace mission to France, Adams spent March through September at Peacefield.

28. Arrived at temporary government quarters

    1799-10-10 · Trenton, New Jersey, United States

    

    Adams reached Trenton, where the federal government had relocated temporarily because of Philadelphia's yellow-fever epidemic.

29. First official visit to Washington

    1800-06-01 · Washington, District of Columbia, United States

    

    Adams made his first official visit to the new federal seat of government. Source gives only early-June precision; coordinate represents central Washington.

30. Moved into the White House

    1800-11-01 · White House, Washington, District of Columbia, United States

    

    Adams became the first U.S. president to live in the nearly completed President's Mansion, later called the White House.

31. Returned to Peacefield full-time

    1801-01-01 · Peacefield, Quincy, Massachusetts, United States

    

    After leaving national office, Adams returned permanently to his Quincy home.

32. Left the White House at end of presidency

    1801-03-04 · White House, Washington, District of Columbia, United States

    

    On the final day of his presidency, Adams departed the White House for Massachusetts before dawn.

33. Received Lafayette at Peacefield

    1824-01-01 · Peacefield, Quincy, Massachusetts, United States

    

    The aging Adams met the Marquis de Lafayette during Lafayette's celebrated American tour. The source places Lafayette's visit within 1824 but does not supply a day or month.

34. Death at Peacefield

    1826-07-04 · Peacefield, Quincy, Massachusetts, United States

    

    Adams died at Peacefield on the fiftieth anniversary of the Declaration of Independence.