John Adams

John Adams (1735-1826) was the second president of the United States (1797-1801) and was the first vice president (1789-1797). He was also one of the most significant American Founders. Adams first became well known at the beginning of the American Revolution as a radical proponent of secession and as a delegate to the Continental Congress from Massachusetts. He was also responsible for helping draft and approve the Declaration of Independence, which is how he came to know Thomas Jefferson. As a European diplomat, he negotiated peace with Great Britain and helped secure loans from the Netherlands.

In the letters, Adams is the elder of the two men and as such is something of an "older brother" figure to Jefferson in their early years. Adams was responsible for promoting Jefferson's draft of the Declaration of Independence and thus for "discovering" him. He was also a senior diplomat when...