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  • Essay / John Adams: an embodiment of ethics and patriotism

    John Adams was born on October 19, 1735 in Braintree, Massachusetts, into a farming family like many New Englanders in his era, since many Braintree residents were farmers, and like many New England farms, the one John grew up on had been in his family for a few generations. The Adams house was a typical small farm house on 2 levels, one floor consisting of 2 bedrooms and the main floor consisting of a kitchen and a family room with a fireplace. The Adamses were a deeply religious family as John's father was a deacon in the local church they attended, and John's father also worked as a shoemaker to support his wife and children. John's father had married later in life, as his parents were in their forties when he was born. John was the eldest of three children and he spent time with his siblings helping with chores on the farm, even playing outside as many children did at the time. John also loved fishing and hunting like all farm boys of his day, although he was considered a good student at school, learning philosophy, mathematics, reading, writing, Latin and science, he often skipped school to go fishing or hunting. John loved going into the thick brush of the New England woods in hopes of trapping a squirrel or rabbit. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay John's father was often very strict with him about his schooling, as much as John loved the life of a farmer. His father hoped that he would grow up to be a man with a more prestigious profession, such as a clergyman. John's father worked very hard on their farm to show him exactly what it meant to be a farmer in order to prove his point to John. This work involved getting up before dawn, going to cut firewood in the deep forest region that surrounded their property, harvesting and planting, feeding the animals, re-training the horses and not returning home until dusk. . At the end of a hard day's work on the farm, John's father would ask him, "How did you like this hard work today, my son?" John replied in a tired tone, "I like that, Father!" so his father would respond, “Well, I don't like doing this at all, but I have to do it to support the family and you're going to keep going to school, you understand!” To be sure that John would receive a good education and no longer miss school when he felt like it, John's father asked his former pastor, a man named Reverend Joseph Marsh, to tutor John, and John reacted quickly to this change despite how strict his new teacher was, after 18 months under Reverend Marsh's tutelage, John was deemed ready to apply for admission to Harvard University at the age of 15 years, as it was normal for teenagers to be in their first year at a university during this time. time. Harvard University was known as a regiment in those days when few people, men or women, attended college. John was a lucky young man to have been accepted to Harvard, as most boys who entered prestigious universities in his day usually came. from more aristocratic backgrounds and one or two generations of their families also attended Harvard, which was practically nepotism for their sons to be accepted into college. John found his social life at Harvard pleasantdespite the rigor of his studies and the fact that he did not come from an aristocratic background like the other students. Many of the changes he faced at Harvard made him mature in a very rapid and positive way. In 1755, John Adams was in his final year at Harvard and still had not decided on a career. His father had always hoped that he would become a clergyman, however, John did not think that was the path for him despite his strict Christian upbringing and devotion. John also knew that his angry ways would not be well suited for him. Preaching from a pulpit, John also cherished his own independence, something he would not get much of as a clergyman. The New England region was in a period of enlightenment at this time, as many students at universities like Harvard were attracted to careers in medicine and law, although clergy were still considered very appreciated. Towards the end of his senior year at Harvard, John considered becoming a lawyer because unlike a clergyman, he would not have to worry about working so hard to please everyone. John's father, who was a deacon, often viewed lawyers as people more involved with themselves and less with their own clients. Although he was interested in a career as a lawyer, John sometimes felt troubled by why he wanted to pursue this profession in the first place. John had a greed for wanting recognition and fame, some of these traits dovetailed with his religious upbringing. Meanwhile, after graduating from Harvard, John was offered a job teaching Latin at Worcester High School, located west of Boston. John viewed the job as a fleeting task until he figured out whether he really wanted to become a lawyer or follow his father's dream of becoming a clergyman. John felt unhappy with his current situation in life. Worcester was not as large as Boston and did not offer many social opportunities as it greatly enjoyed the social life of the Harvard campus. John eventually began to become the angry, strict schoolmaster like those he himself had dealt with as a child, dealing with the daily mumbling of students barely able to pronounce the alphabet with voices. lisp type and having to teach them correctly the pronunciation of the syllables. words or vowels. Eventually, John would view his students as boring, ignorant, and lazy, without any motivation. Worcester's boring lifestyle was reduced to its social leaders alone: ​​being friendly, John was often invited to the homes of the city's most prominent residents for tea or a meal, discussing with them current events in the Boston area . Worcester's boring lifestyle was reduced to its social leaders alone: ​​being friendly, John was often invited to the homes of the city's most prominent residents for tea or a meal, discussing with them current events in the Boston area . still didn't interest John, the medical field, in his opinion, would mean a lot of non-stop work for little income and meager recognition. For John, the Braintree legal field also had suspicions of lawyers, seeing them as people who caused more problems than they solved and enriched themselves at the expense of the poverty of others. A career as a lawyer would offer John more fascinating opportunities, such as access to the all-important offices of state. John struggled with not wanting to displease his father, as many people in his hometown viewed lawyers in a negative light, as did his father. John was about to start his secondyear as principal of Worcester High School, when he finally made the decision that he could no longer put off his decision to study law. John was eager to move on with his life and resolve his predicament. John even wondered if he could succeed in law school or argue in front of a jury. John hesitated until the end with these questions in mind, so in the summer of 1756 John made contact with a man named James Putnam, who was the chief city solicitor of Worcester, to begin a learning in the legal field. although he did not want to be a clergyman, he always kept his religious ethics with him as he vowed to never act unjustly in the courthouse once he eventually became a lawyer, as John believed that the practice of law did not dissolve any religious obligation or morality. James Putnam offered to let John study with him, John took up work as a schoolmaster at Worcester High School and moved into James Putnam's house, paying him the money he had saved from his job at the school. school to pay for James Putnam's accommodation and lessons. The first New England settlers who arrived a century earlier did not have lawyers. However, when positive views of and love for the British Commonwealth quickly diminished along with the bickering, or when a lack of trust emerged. Then the legal profession emerged to handle all issues between the colonies. John himself often debated that the purpose of an American working as a lawyer was to defend a nation whose rights had been desecrated. It was from these past experiences in New England that John brought his religious idealism into his chosen profession. John discovered he was cut out for the legal profession because he enjoyed the dramatic events of what happened in a courtroom while studying with James Putnam. By 1761, John Adams had completed his studies under James Putnam and was admitted to the bar by the principal court of the colony of Massachusetts. After finishing law school, he returned to his hometown of Braintree to open a small office in which he handled people's deeds, property taxes and wills. Whenever John was in court, he often took cases involving sexual assault, defamation, bastardization. John would even end up leading a protest against the pubs whenever patrons got into fights in the bars, outside and inside the pubs. John would eventually succeed in obtaining an order restricting the licensing of these pubs. There was another lawyer in the area that John greatly admired, his name was James Otis, who was involved in a case involving the Boston merchants rebelling against their ships being broken into and having their cargo stolen. the people carrying out this smuggling of maritime goods were British Customs officials whose actions were authorized by Warrants of Assistance issued by the British Crown. Otis gave a speech at the trial that John took to heart, and even though this case was about a small matter of protecting these smugglers. This gave John a good impression of the limits that British authority in the colonies was supposed to have. In 1767, the British Parliament introduced new legislation imposing duties on goods imported into the American colonies. This new legislation insisted that taxes on these products were too external rather than internal in the way they were involved in foreign trade. John would oppose any type of taxation without consent orrepresentation, while the British Parliament was debating among its members the new laws which had not yet come into force on this legislation, the British therefore sent more of their troops to the American colonies. strengthen any law on these new taxes, and arrest any citizen who dares to oppose them. Many American colonists would dare to taunt these British troops, daring them to use their firearms against them after a boy was killed by a British soldier's gunfire. His funeral prompted more young people to throw stones at these British soldiers. A crowd of people shouted “KILL THEM”. Suddenly, gunfire began, leaving 3 people dead and 8 injured. Among the three killed was a mulatto named Crispus Attucks who had joined with Caucasian settlers to lure troops into battle. Crispus Attucks was then known as the first African American to fight for freedom. Captain Thomas Preston, who was the commander who ordered the firing of these shots, was arrested and handed over to the main court in the city of Boston to stand trial for the "Boston Massacre." » British army officers prevailed over John Adams to represent Captain Preston in court. John accepted the offer because he believed that everyone was entitled to a fair trial, whether innocent or not guilty, native or foreign, etc., as his Puritan upbringing influenced his ethics as a lawyer. John believed that a lawyer must hold himself accountable not only to his country, but also to the highest and most infallible committees in the role he must assume. Needless to say, the citizens of Boston did not understand why John proposed portraying a man like Captain Preston and whether John was truly devoted to the love of the colonies. Both John and another attorney named Josiah Quincy produced witnesses on Captain Preston's behalf who testified that Captain Preston and his men were intimidated into firing their muskets at these civilians. John relied on a dramatic tactic of racial profiling, which reminded the jury that among those killed were mulattoes and negroes, Irish teagues, in other words low-lifes, that these British troops had faced the Attucks boy who had the appearance that would horrify anyone. John also made a strong statement about self-defense. On June 6, 1767, local elections were held in the city of Boston because a position for the main court was now available. It was customary for candidates to do nothing on their own behalf when running for office. John Adams received 418 votes to 536 in the election for the court position. It seemed that the good citizens of Boston had come to realize that John Adams was the kind of man to be associated with in the justice system, because he didn't. play favorites with anyone. John had decided to avoid involvement in public affairs and was content with a bold profession which was patriotic in a sentimental way mixed with ignorance of the slavishly active actions which he was often naturally encouraged and persuaded to undertake . John had devoted himself with constant and almost incompatible patience to the exercise of his profession. John recognized that no object was greater than this and that he had always grasped success in his achievements. John had been practicing law for some time and had more cases at the Massachusetts State Bar than any other man in the area. John believed that an admission of a public career such as his would deprive him of the fruits of his labor, that he would be exposed to any anxiety or complications regarding personal dangerfor himself, his family or even find himself in poverty. Johns later recalled his emotions upon taking this position as very pathetic. However, John solemnly with a deep sense of self-denial towards his duties, accompanied by a feeling of dark foreboding. John set out to embark on a public career which, in the inscrutable future, would prove fraught with such sumptuous rewards for his courageous nobility and intellectual dissent. For John, it was this first infiltration into the realm of public life that began to grip him with a powerful grip that, fortunately for him, did not last long. A few months after being elected to his new position, John's anxiety got the best of him as he began experiencing chest pain and shortness of breath. Fortunately for John, it was nothing serious, but unfortunately this health issue caused him to resign from his position. John had been sitting in his office chair in a motionless state for a little while, then when he came to, he stumbled out of his office and staggered down the hallway towards the stairs towards his wife, his face pale. on his face, telling her that he couldn't bear to stay in town any longer in his condition and she agreed. In the spring of 1771, John decided to return to his hometown of Braintree after his term as a court official ended, and although John had decided to return to his hometown of Braintree; he always considered the people of Boston pleasant and grateful for services rendered to the city. John even wished he still had the power to do whatever he wanted, hoping that God would allow him to do it again one day. But nevertheless, John thought his wishes were inadequate, his efforts unproductive and catastrophic to himself. This health incident left John in a very sad state of mind, and he would sometimes fall into nostalgic moods, while John enjoyed the thrill his position gave him. But it seemed that his hope in God was good after all, for by the fall of 1772 John's health had recovered and he came to the conclusion that he was still needed in the colony of Massachusetts. So John returned to Boston and bought a house near the city's courthouse. However, John vowed not to get involved in the public affairs of the town or colony, as he believed his own life, well-being, and family were too important to him and focused on the sacrifices for them. John felt that he was serving his country and its citizens well, and that this healing of anxiety was a blessing not to be taken for granted. By 1774, the colonies were growing tired of the tyranny imposed on them by the British monarchy. John had very little enjoyed solitude since his return to Boston. John was again called upon to become involved in public life again as he had no sooner escaped questions he considered to be in poor taste. But John nevertheless returned with pleasure to the exercise of his profession and the concern for his personal interests which were naturally close to the very essence of a wise and frugal man born in the commercial environment of New England, as c This was the case in the time of John Adams. John also had a wife and children to support and as important as his family was to him; John still had to be active in the dark and dangerous political affairs going on in the colonies during the year. John was now 38 years old and still a relatively young man, well educated in public and private law, he had a temperament which combined cheerfully with boldness and prudence, John was also considered trustworthy, active andoverflowing with energy. pretty much at the forefront of his profession. That year, the population of the 13 colonies was the same as that of the city of London in England. The city of Paris had more than a million inhabitants, London had a million and a half inhabitants, and Boston had around 15,000 inhabitants. The colonies were in arms because the whole could govern them. Places like Connecticut were considered quite democratic, New York was considered to have aristocratic people in terms of social structures. The upper class of the colonial population consisted of merchants, clergy, lawyers, doctors and all the civil servants who were appointed by the British monarchy. Even though there was rivalry between these different groups of people. The colonial assemblies were those who owned the majority of land, were responsible for directing trade, sat in the colonies' courts, and controlled credit as there were no banks in the American colonies at that time. the colonial assemblies which set the standards of things. The middle-class colonies were places like Maryland, Virginia, Pennsylvania, and the Carolinas. The middle class made up of farmers, merchants, carpenters, millers, printers, tailors, candlemakers, tanners, shoemakers, sailors, fishermen, masons, etc. But all of these colonies would send representatives to Philadelphia to meet on September 5, 1774. Among them were John Adams, Samuel Adams, Alexander Hamilton, Benjamin Franklin, John Hancock, John Jay, Patrick Henry, James Madison, and General George Washington. Even though these men came from different social classes and professions; they all seemed to agree that everyone in the colonies was fed up with the corruption of the British monarchy and wanted the colonies to govern themselves at their own federal and local levels. Even the British monarchy allowed the colonies to legislate; it was up to the king to appoint the judges of these courts, and the only power the people of the colonies would have had over these judges was to be able to control their income. As the Congressional meeting began to get underway, all these men in knee-high breeches, powdered wigs with ponytails and black triangular hats, buckled shoes began to debate. among themselves on how to deal with the tyranny of the British monarchy as they all gathered at Carpenter Hall in Philadelphia. It was in the east wing of the building that this meeting of the Congress was arranged. As the doors to the room opened and representatives of the colonies entered. The representatives found the room exuberant and well lit by the morning sun. The walls had been painted a finely polished white and the floor was dark stained wood panels. Finally, there was a lovely white paneled fireplace. The representatives began to take their seats in different rows of black-painted hickory chairs. John sat between Samuel Adams and Thomas Cushing. It's been a while since John was involved in something this big since the Boston Massacre trial, and after being summoned to take part in something bigger after recovering from an illness, he had no sooner fled his functions which he found dysfunctional on his return. Boston. John still remembered the promise he had made to himself after becoming a lawyer to behave ethically, even if that was truer for others than himself, and he also remembered how many people in his town native didn't like lawyers. John often used to get involved in meetings.