“[John Adams] experience with the French philosophers only convinced him further of the need for a bicameral legislature representing the two principal social orders and, equally important, an independent executive.” NeedsTwoImportantOrderSocialIndependentPhilosopherConvincedExecutivesPrincipalLegislatureRepresentingSocial OrderFrench Philosopher Author:Gordon S. Wood
“The Massachusetts constitution was written much later than the other revolutionary state constitutions, and thus it avoids some of the earlier mistakes. The executive is stronger, with a limited veto; the senate is more formidable; and the judiciary is independent.” StatesMistakeWrittenConstitutionStrongerIndependentRevolutionaryExecutivesSenateFormidableJudiciaryMassachusettsVeto Author:Gordon S. Wood
“I think [John Adams's] influence on the federal Constitution was indirect. Many including James Madison mocked the first volume of Adams's Defence of the Constitutions of the United States in 1787. But his Massachusetts constitution was a model for those who thought about stable popular governments, with its separation of powers, its bicameral legislature, its independent judiciary, and its strong executive.” ThinkingFirstsStatesGovernmentStrongUnitedUnited StatesInfluenceModelsConstitutionIndependentIncludingSeparationExecutivesStableVolumeDefenceLegislatureJudiciaryIndirectMassachusettsMadisonConstitution Of The United StatesSeparation Of PowersIndependent Judiciary Author:Gordon S. Wood
“[ Massachusetts constitution] was [John Adams] attempt to justify that structure by the traditional notion of social estates - that the executive represented the monarchical estate, the senate the aristocratic estate, and the house of representatives the estate of the people.” PeopleHouseSocialConstitutionStructureNotionTraditionalJustifyExecutivesSenateRepresentativesEstatesMassachusettsHouse Of RepresentativesAristocratic Author:Gordon S. Wood
