Samuel and John Adams’ Many Triumphs

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Administration). Samuel Adams also had a much smaller part in politics during the war. He participated in the Second Continental Congress. After serving, he returned to his home in Boston in 1781. Samuel Adams largely did not compare to his cousin in politics during the war, due to his inactivity. In conclusion, John Adams was largely superior in what he completed during the American War for Independence.

After the Revolutionary War, Samuel Adams faded mostly from the public eye doing less and less while his cousin, John Adams, became more and more noticeable. After the Revolutionary War, John Adams returned from England to America. He was elected as vice president next to George Washington. However, Adams soon became frustrated with Washington. Adams felt that George Washington was not easily dissuaded and felt that he did not have a large part in the government for that reason. Though, after George Washington had served for two terms and retired, John Adams became the second president of the United States. John Adams faced many struggles in his presidency especially because of France and Britain’s war against each other and the French Revolution. Adams refused to help France which lead to France cutting off their trade with America. By the end of John Adams’ presidency, he had become largely unpopular and was outvoted after his first term and was succeeded by Thomas Jefferson the third president of the United States (“John Adams” Bio). After the American War for Independence, as earlier mentioned, Samuel Adams began to fall away from politics. He became John Hancock’s lieutenant and later served as governor for Massachusetts after John Hancock, the original governor, had died. He was governor for four years from 1793 to 1797, but he retired afterwards (“Samuel Adams” History). Based on this information, it seems that John Adams had done much more after the war by becoming vice president and president while Samuel Adams served as governor and lieutenant governor. Consequently, Samuel Adams had a part in American politics after the war, yet John Adams had a much larger impact by serving as vice president and president.

In conclusion, both Samuel and John Adams were very influential in politics before and during the war. Samuel Adams participated more before the war by becoming more involved in local politics, mainly through the Sons of Liberty and Caucus Club which were both strong forces of resistance against Britain. However, John Adams largely outweighed Samuel Adams in politics during the war. Samuel Adams helped lead the opposition to the acts passed by Britain by staging protests while John Adams wrote a very popular resolution that was against the Tea Act. During the war, John Adams participated in both gaining French and British diplomacies, while Samuel Adams only participated in Congress. Both men also helped oppose the acts passed by Britain. While both men worked to build their country by participating in politics before the War for American Independence, opposing acts passed by Britain and also participating in politics during and after the war, John Adams contributed much more in the long run than his cousin, Samuel Adams. As Samuel Adams once said, “It is extremely difficult to preserve liberty.” Modern Americans should learn from the sacrifices and accomplishments of not just Samuel Adams and John Adams, but also the other founding fathers of the United States and preserve their liberty by following their example to never give up.