Samuel and John Adams’ Many Triumphs

Samuel and John Adams’ Many Triumphs

Samuel and John Adams did many things for their country. Samuel Adams helped lead the colonial revolution by participating in local politics in his hometown of Boston and holding a few positions of importance before and after the War for American Independence. In local politics, he participated in and was leader of Caucus Club and the Sons of Liberty which lead to his popularity. John Adams, Samuel Adams’ cousin, was also important in the advancement of the government and the War for Independence. John Adams was a delegate to Continental Congress, an ambassador to France, the first vice president of the United States, and the second president of the United States during his political career. Both Samuel Adams and John Adams played a part in shaping America by contributing to politics before the war, opposing acts passed by Britain’s Parliament and also participating in politics during and after the Revolutionary War. Overall, John Adams contributed much more than Samuel Adams to America.

In local politics, Samuel Adams and partially John Adams helped fuel the rebellion by opposing Great Britain before the Revolutionary War. Samuel Adams organized the Sons of Liberty, a society that supported the rebellion, and soon became a large force of opposition to Britain in Boston. The Sons of Liberty also headed the Boston Tea Party with Samuel Adams leading them in December of 1773. Together, the Sons of Liberty flung 342 boxes of tea overboard (Masters 22). The Boston Tea Party helped enormously in advancing the revolution since the Coercive Acts angered not only Bostonians, but also citizens from other colonies who were enraged by the act that was passed which blockaded the Boston Harbor. Soon after, John Adams would later credit the Boston Tea Party as “the grandest event which has ever yet happened since the controversy with Britain opened” (“Adams, Samuel”). However, while John Adams admired the Tea Party, he did not assist the Sons of Liberty in the execution or the preparation for the event. Although, he did contribute in other ways. According to Nancy Robinson Masters, both John and Samuel Adams assisted in the Continental Congress when both of them attended the first and second meeting. John Adams had a large part in the writing of the Declaration of Independence, being one of five men chosen to write it (67). Samuel Adams did not have as much of a direct job in writing the Declaration of Independence, but did sign it, agreeing to its claims to liberty (Masters 23). Therefore, both Samuel Adams and John Adams had a part in politics before the war.

Samuel Adams and John Adams were involved in the opposition of British acts that were passed by Parliament. As previously mentioned, Samuel Adams helped organize the Sons of Liberty but also helped lead the Caucus Club, a large force of resistance in Boston. Participation in this club helped Samuel Adams become a leader in politics in Massachusetts (“Samuel Adams” American History). John Adams, on the other hand, participated in none of these clubs. In contrast, John Adams was a lawyer before becoming most popular. Samuel Adams helped oppose the acts passed by Britain by helping in executing the Boston Tea Party and protesting the Tea Act (Masters 22). While in the Massachusetts legislature, Samuel Adams also protested the Townshend Acts by founding the non importation agreement which boycotted the sale of British goods (“Samuel Adams” History). This helped to protest the British and their passing of acts to the colonies. John Adams helped protest the acts by forming a resolution of the Stamp Act arguing that the colonists should not be taxed without representation. His resolution soon became well-known and widely supported, although there were not many means to have the information travel through the colonies (Masters 66-67). This shows how well written Adams’ resolution was and how the people were willing to listen to an opinion in opposition of Britain and King George. Samuel Adams also opposed the Stamp Act by staging protests. One such protest lead to the vandalization and arson of Thomas Hutchinson’s home, who was lieutenant governor at the time. Overall, both of these men, especially Samuel Adams, contributed to the rebellion against the many acts passed by Britain.

During the war, both men were actively involved in politics. Notably, the most striking accomplishments of the two were achieved by John Adams. John Adams became commissioner to France to try and secure a trading agreement. Yet, when he arrived in France, he quickly learned of Benjamin Franklin’s popularity there and that the trading agreement had already been issued. He spent nearly two more years trying to secure loans from France, but was unsuccessful and later Benjamin Franklin became the sole commissioner to France. This lead to Adams returning to Boston in 1779 where he began to work on the Massachusetts Constitution. Shortly afterwards, Adams was selected as a commissioner to Britain by Congress so that he could make peace with them. Eventually, the Treaty of Paris was signed, although the French prime minister was against it due to France’s rivalry with Britain (“John Adams” Presidential