“Facts are stubborn things; and whatever may be our wishes, our inclinations, or the dictates of our passions, they cannot alter the state of facts and evidence.”John Adams
TruthFacts
John Adams Quotes
American - President|October 30, 1735 - July 4, 1826
50 FAMOUS QUOTES · PRESIDENT
John Adams Quotes
Read 50 genuine John Adams quotes on liberty, knowledge, government, power and family from the Founding Father and second President of the United States.
“Liberty cannot be preserved without a general knowledge among the people.”John Adams
LibertyEducation
“Let us tenderly and kindly cherish, therefore, the means of knowledge. Let us dare to read, think, speak, and write.”John Adams
KnowledgeFree Speech
“The preservation of the means of knowledge among the lowest ranks is of more importance to the public than all the property of all the rich men in the country.”John Adams
“Let the human mind loose. It must be loose. It will be loose. Superstition and dogmatism cannot confine it.”John Adams
Freedom Of ThoughtMind
“I must study politics and war that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy, geography, natural history, naval architecture, navigation, commerce, and agriculture, in order to give their children a right to study painting, poetry, music, architecture, statuary, tapestry, and porcelain.”John Adams
SacrificeGenerations
“Posterity! You will never know how much it cost the present generation to preserve your freedom! I hope you will make a good use of it.”John Adams
FreedomSacrifice
“Liberty must at all hazards be supported. We have a right to it, derived from our Maker.”John Adams
LibertyRights
“Be not intimidated, nor suffer yourselves to be wheedled out of your liberties by any pretence of politeness, delicacy, or decency.”John Adams
CourageLiberty
“There is danger from all men. The only maxim of a free government ought to be to trust no man living with power to endanger the public liberty.”John Adams
PowerLiberty
“Power always thinks it has a great soul and vast views beyond the comprehension of the weak.”John Adams
PowerArrogance
“Power always thinks that it is doing God's service when it is violating all his laws.”John Adams
PowerHypocrisy
“The happiness of society is the end of government.”John Adams
“A government of laws, and not of men.”John Adams
Rule Of LawGovernment
“Fear is the foundation of most governments.”John Adams
“The essence of a free government consists in an effectual control of rivalries.”John Adams
GovernmentBalance
“While all other sciences have advanced, that of government is at a standstill: little better understood, little better practised now than three or four thousand years ago.”John Adams
GovernmentProgress
“Great is the guilt of an unnecessary war.”John Adams
WarPeace
“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.”John Adams
ConstitutionVirtue
“Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself.”John Adams
DemocracyHistory
“In politics the middle way is none at all.”John Adams
PoliticsConviction
“Abuse of words has been the great instrument of sophistry and chicanery, of party, faction, and division of society.”John Adams
LanguageTruth
“When people talk of the freedom of writing, speaking or thinking I cannot choose but laugh. No such thing ever existed. No such thing now exists; but I hope it will exist.”John Adams
Free SpeechHope
“Old minds are like old horses; you must exercise them if you wish to keep them in working order.”John Adams
AgeingLearning
“Genius is sorrow's child.”John Adams
GeniusSorrow
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About John Adams
American - President | October 30, 1735 - July 4, 1826
John Adams (October 30, 1735 – July 4, 1826) was an American Founding Father, lawyer, diplomat and the second President of the United States, born in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts. After studying at Harvard, he became a respected lawyer and famously defended the British soldiers accused in the 1770 Boston Massacre, believing everyone deserved a fair trial.
Adams was a leading voice for independence in the Continental Congress and served on the committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence. He later helped negotiate the Treaty of Paris, served as the first Vice President under George Washington, and was President from 1797 to 1801, the first to live in the White House. His letters with his wife Abigail are among the most treasured in American history, and their son John Quincy Adams became the sixth president. Here are 50 of the best John Adams quotes.
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers about John Adams and these famous quotes.
Who was John Adams?
John Adams was an American Founding Father, lawyer and diplomat who served as the first Vice President (1789–1797) and second President of the United States (1797–1801).
Why did John Adams defend the British soldiers in the Boston Massacre?
In 1770, Adams agreed to defend the British soldiers accused of killing colonists because he believed everyone deserved a fair trial. Most of the soldiers were acquitted, and Adams later called it one of the best services he gave his country.
Did John Adams and Thomas Jefferson die on the same day?
Yes. Both died on July 4, 1826, exactly 50 years after the Declaration of Independence was adopted. Adams's reported last words were "Thomas Jefferson survives," though Jefferson had died a few hours earlier.
Who wrote "Remember the ladies"?
That famous line was written by Abigail Adams, not John. In a 1776 letter she urged him and the Continental Congress to "remember the ladies" and give women more rights in the new nation.
What was the relationship between John and Abigail Adams?
John and Abigail Adams were married for 54 years and exchanged more than 1,100 letters. Their correspondence shows a deep partnership, with Abigail serving as his closest adviser.
Which quote is wrongly credited to John Adams?
"Because power corrupts, society's demands for moral authority and character increase as the importance of the position increases" is a modern quote that has been mistakenly attached to Adams online.