American Revolution - John Adams

John Adams (October 30, 1735 - July 4, 1826) was the second President of the United States (1797 - 1801),after serving as the first Vice President (1789 -1797). He was an American lawyer, author, statesman and diplomat, and as a Founding Father was a principal leader of American independence from Great Britain. Adams was a well educated political theorist in the Age of Enlightenment who promoted republicanism and a strong central government. He was an exceptional diarist and correspondent - especially with his wife Abigail who was a key advisor as well. He as well often publicly articulated his seminal ideas. After the Boston Massacre, despite severe local anti-British sentiment, he provided a controversial, but principled and successful, legal defence of the accused British soldiers, driven by his devotion to the unqualified right to counsel and the "protect[ion] of innocence".