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John Adams was criticized during his presidency by his enemies as well as his colleagues. Obviously, his reputation as president doesn't really bring a positive thought to ones head. But does John Adams deserve a better reputation as the president of the United States?
John Adams, who became the second president of the United States, has been accused by some historians of being the closest thing America ever had to a dictator or monarch . Such strong accusations should be examined in the context of the era in which Mr. Adams lived and served. Indeed, except for his lack of charisma and political charm, Adams had a very successful political career before joining the new national government. Adams was a well educated, seasoned patriot, and experienced diplomat. He was the runner-up in the election in which George Washington was selected the first United States President. There are several traits that were noticeable about John Adams. He was known as an honest man of integrity and the Adams style was to confront, shout, rant, and then to embrace . He was, however, quite intelligent and apparently had a secure self-esteem, being quite willing to challenge tradition.
Adams' presidency was stressful from the moment of his inauguration. He defeated Thomas Jefferson by three electoral votes. Jefferson, having the second largest number of votes, became vice-president. This event is significant because for the first time in office here were two men of totally different philosophies of government, attempting to run the country together. The height of Adams’ presidency and popularity came primarily from the victories the navy had over French vessels, and the exposure of the scandal called the XYZ Affair, in which Adams was applauded for revealing the dishonesty and corruption of the French officials, and French insistence on demanding bribes. This period, however, was very unstable and uncertain, both at home and abroad. The national debt and the threat of...