JayrajLimbachiya

IBHistory
TheCollaborators
Allthroughouthistory,powerhasbeenpasseddownfromonepersontoanother.
Whetheritbefrommonarchtomonarch,dictatortodictator,or,asinourcasetoday,presidentto
president,manyoftheseoccurrenceshadnotbeenpeaceful.Aprofusionofthemalsobrought
aboutchangestosociety,whichaffectedamajorityoftheindividualswholivedinit,whetherfor
thepositiveornegativedependedonthepersonsperspective.Oneofthemostprominent
leadershipchanges/passingofpowerwastheretirementofGeorgeWashingtonandtheneedfor
anewpresident,ofwhomcouldhandlethecumbersomeloadofthearisingrepublicsproblems.
Withthis,thenewfoundcompetitionbegan,betweentwoofthemostinfluentialmeninthe
revolutionarygeneration:ThomasJeffersonandJohnAdams.
GeorgeWashington,tomanypeople,wasknownasthegreatestpresidentinAmerica's
history,sowhoeverwastoprecedehim,alreadyhadadisadvantageintheirlegacyaspresident.
Jeffersonwasawareofthisplight,butwassupposedlyunawareinhisrecognitionofhimrunning
forpresident.RecordsstatethatMadison,Jefferson'ssotospeakapprentice,startedcampaigning
forJeffersonbeforeJeffersonhimselfknewaboutit.Adamsontheotherhandhadbeeninthe
vicepresidentpositionunderWashingtonforbothofhisterms.Whentherevolutionfirstbegan,
Adamswasahero.Aflamboyant,aggressiveleadertoallrevolutionarysupporters,andhe
himselfappointedWashingtontoleadthearmy,andJeffersontodrafttheDeclarationof
Independence.

AdamsalsowenttoEuropeandworkedthere,wherehefirstmetJefferson.Theybegan
talkingandsoontheirfriendshipwasdynamic.AdamswasJefferson"olderbrother",andeven
thoughtheybothhaddifferentpersonas,theygotalongverywell.Theirfriendshipstrengthened,
andtheyoftenwenttoeachotherforadvice.WhenAdamsreturnedfromEurope,hewas
appointedvicepresidenttoWashington.Aftertakingthejob,Adamsrealizedthesituationhe
hadformulatedforhimself.Hisjob,accordingtoWashingtonwastotakepartintheCongress
meetings,buttheydidnotpermitvicepresidentstodebate,orratheryetspeak.Hisonlyduty
wastobethereincasesomethinghappenedtothepresident,andWashingtonhimself,never
consultedAdamsforadvice.Duringhistermasvicepresidencyhewasnotonlyridiculedby
Congress,andevenJeffersonhimself,buthefeltasifhisobligationtoservetheAmerican
peoplecouldn'tbefulfilledasvicepresident.
Becauseofthis,whenWashingtonannouncedhisretirement,Adamsknewthatrunning
forpresidencywasthetopthingonhisagenda.Afterrealizingthathewouldberunningagainst
hislongtimecompanionJefferson,hewasshocked,andthismarkedthedeclineoftheir
friendship.JeffersonandAdamsbegantodiscreetlyinsulteachother,andthenmoveonlike
nothinghadhappened.InsteadofgoingtoJeffersonforadvice,Adamsbegantogrowcloseto
hiswife,andshewould,fromthismoment,behismostdearestcompanion.Adamseventually
wontherace,butmadeanamalgamofmistakes.First,hekeptWashington'sstaff,whowere
loyaltoAlexanderHamilton,andweremostlyFederalists,andJefferson,theleaderofthe
Republicans,wereopposedofmanyofAdamspolicies.Whatmademattersworsewasthat
Adamsstoodamiddlegroundbetweenbothparties,subsequentlycausingbothpartiestodetest
him.Healsocreatedsomeunfairpolicies,andpeoplefeltasifhewasamonarchistwhowanted

tobecomekingandpassonhispowertohissonwhenhedied.Eventhoughthiswasabsurd,
manypeoplebelievedit,andhisreputationwasmarredmore.
EventhoughAdamsavoidedwarwithFranceatthetime,hisachievementswere
acknowledgedtoolateintotheelectionwhenheranforhissecondtermJeffersonlaterwonand
theRepublicanpartycontrolledtheexecutivebranchformanymoregenerationstocome.Adams
triedmakingpeacewithJefferson,butitnevertrulyworkedout,andthetwomennevertalked
againfor12yearsafterJefferson'sinauguration.Personally,IthinkthatAdamswasn'tabad
president,butpeoplewereexpectingalotoutofhimafterWashingtonleft.Furthermore,the
burgeoningrepublicwasfacingmanyformidablechallenges,someofwhichwerevirtually
unsolvableissues.Ialsothinkhistheoryofnotbeingincludedinapoliticalpartywasanequal
thingtodo,however,Idonotlikehowhewasalittletoodependentonhiswife.Ifhehadgone
byhisowninstinct,Ibelievethathewouldhaveconsummatedmoresuccessandpopularity.To
conclude,afterreadingthischapter,IstandmyplaceinstillbeinganadmirerofAdamsandhis
perseverancetohelptheAmericanpeople.