“Perhaps more significant than his experience in Europe, though, was [John] Adams's experience in his own country, and his extensive reading on the history of the English constitution. In 1779, he had an opportunity to try out his ideas by framing the Massachusetts constitution.” TryingIdeasCountryReadingOpportunityEuropeConstitutionSignificantMassachusettsFramingExtensive Reading 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
“[The Massachusetts constitution] resembles the federal Constitution of 1787 more closely than any of the other revolutionary state constitutions. It was also drawn up by a special convention, and it provided for popular ratification - practices that were followed by the drafters of the federal Constitution of 1787 and subsequent state constitution-makers.” StatesPracticeSpecialConstitutionRevolutionaryMakersConventionsMassachusetts 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
“It was [John's Adams] Massachusetts constitution if anything that influenced people.” PeopleIfsConstitutionMassachusetts 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
