“By the time [John Adams] came to write his Defence of the Constitutions of the United States in 1787 he had as dark a view of the American character as that of any critic in our history.” WritingStatesCharacterDarkUnitedViewsUnited StatesConstitutionCriticsDefenceConstitution Of The United StatesAmerican Character Author:Gordon S. Wood
“[John] Adams's letters reveal his persistence and determination to win over the Dutch against all odds and to convince them and the other peoples of Europe of the potential greatness of the United States and of the importance of the Revolution to the world.” WorldStatesWinningUnitedUnited StatesGreatnessRevolutionEuropeDeterminationLettersImportancePersistenceConvinceOddsDutchAgainst All Odds Author:Gordon S. Wood
“[John] Adams said his objective in writing his Defence of the Constitutions of the United States and his Davila essays was to counter what he thought was the unfair criticism of the American state constitutions made by the French philosophers, especially [Anne Robert Jacques] Turgot.” WritingMadeSaidStatesUnitedUnited StatesCriticismConstitutionPhilosopherObjectivesUnfairEssaysDefenceConstitution Of The United StatesFrench Philosopher Author:Gordon S. Wood
“[John Adams' writings] had indicted the United States for slavishly copying the English constitution by erecting bicameral legislatures in their state constitutions, most drafted in 1776.” WritingStatesUnitedUnited StatesConstitutionLegislatureCopying 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
“[Tomas] Jefferson believed that the United States was a chosen nation with a special responsibility to spread democracy around the world.” WorldStatesNationsUnitedResponsibilityUnited StatesDemocracySpecialSpreadChosenAround The WorldTomas Jefferson Author:Gordon S. Wood
“Deeply versed in history, [John Adams] said over and over that America had no special providence, no special role in history, that Americans were no different from other peoples, that the United States was just as susceptible to viciousness and corruption as any other nation. In this regard, at least, Jefferson's vision has clearly won the day.” SaidDifferentStatesAmericaNationsUnitedVisionRolesUnited StatesSpecialRegardCorruptionProvidenceSusceptible Author:Gordon S. Wood
