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A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America: Volume I
Available for the first time in a modern and readable edition!
Preceding The Federalist by several years, this first volume of John Adams’ A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America is a profound work of political and governmental theory.
What prompted Adams to write such a remarkable treatise was a letter, a letter exchanged between a French statesman and a Welsh philosopher, between Anne-Robert-Jacques Turgot and Dr. Richard Price. In his letter, Turgot criticized the constitutions of government that several of the American states had adopted since their separation from Great Britain. In Turgot’s view, their governments too much resembled the British government, with its king, lords and commons. Turgot advocated a much simpler form of government, a government as democratic as possible, consisting of a single assembly of representatives.
Meanwhile, in America, the Congress established under the Articles of Confederation (a single assembly with little check or balance) was failing as the national government of the United States. And to address the institutional failures of this single-assembly “government,” the several states had appointed delegates to meet in convention at Philadelphia, to devise “a more perfect union.”
Thus, Adams’ Defence, published in three volumes beginning in early 1787, could not have been more timely, for in addition to a vigorous defense of the several American constitutions, Adams also provided the Philadelphia delegates with a much-needed reference manual on republican governments.
Inspired by events in Europe and influencing events in America, Adams’ extensive work is a partial history of man’s eternal struggle to control power, and can serve for all time as a guidebook on the means to keep a people free.
Preceding The Federalist by several years, this first volume of John Adams’ A Defence of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America is a profound work of political and governmental theory.
What prompted Adams to write such a remarkable treatise was a letter, a letter exchanged between a French statesman and a Welsh philosopher, between Anne-Robert-Jacques Turgot and Dr. Richard Price. In his letter, Turgot criticized the constitutions of government that several of the American states had adopted since their separation from Great Britain. In Turgot’s view, their governments too much resembled the British government, with its king, lords and commons. Turgot advocated a much simpler form of government, a government as democratic as possible, consisting of a single assembly of representatives.
Meanwhile, in America, the Congress established under the Articles of Confederation (a single assembly with little check or balance) was failing as the national government of the United States. And to address the institutional failures of this single-assembly “government,” the several states had appointed delegates to meet in convention at Philadelphia, to devise “a more perfect union.”
Thus, Adams’ Defence, published in three volumes beginning in early 1787, could not have been more timely, for in addition to a vigorous defense of the several American constitutions, Adams also provided the Philadelphia delegates with a much-needed reference manual on republican governments.
Inspired by events in Europe and influencing events in America, Adams’ extensive work is a partial history of man’s eternal struggle to control power, and can serve for all time as a guidebook on the means to keep a people free.
406 pages, Paperback
First published July 30, 2015
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About the author
John Adams
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John Adams was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Before his presidency, he was a leader of the American Revolution that achieved independence from Great Britain. During the latter part of the Revolutionary War and in the early years of the new nation, he served the U.S. government as a senior diplomat in Europe. Adams was the first person to hold the office of vice president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. He was a dedicated diarist and regularly corresponded with important contemporaries, including his wife and adviser Abigail Adams and his friend and political rival Thomas Jefferson.
A lawyer and political activist prior to the Revolution, Adams was devoted to the right to counsel and presumption of innocence. He defied anti-British sentiment and successfully defended British soldiers against murder charges arising from the Boston Massacre. Adams was a Massachusetts delegate to the Continental Congress and became a leader of the revolution. He assisted Jefferson in drafting the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and was its primary advocate in Congress. As a diplomat he helped negotiate a peace treaty with Great Britain and secured vital governmental loans. Adams was the primary author of the Massachusetts Constitution in 1780, which influenced the United States Constitution, as did his essay Thoughts on Government.
Adams was elected to two terms as vice president under President George Washington and was elected as the United States' second president in 1796. He was the only president elected under the banner of the Federalist Party. Adams's term was dominated by the issue of the French Revolutionary Wars, and his insistence on American neutrality led to fierce criticism from both the Jeffersonian Republicans and from some in his own party, led by his rival Alexander Hamilton. Adams signed the controversial Alien and Sedition Acts, and built up the Army and Navy in the undeclared naval war with France. He was the first president to reside in the White House.
In his bid in 1800 for reelection to the presidency, opposition from Federalists and accusations of despotism from Jeffersonians led to Adams losing to his vice president and former friend Jefferson, and he retired to Massachusetts. He eventually resumed his friendship with Jefferson by initiating a continuing correspondence. He and Abigail generated the Adams political family, including their son John Quincy Adams, the sixth president. John Adams died on July 4, 1826 – the fiftieth anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Adams and his son are the only presidents of the first twelve who never owned slaves. Historians and scholars have favorably ranked his administration.
John Adams was an American statesman, attorney, diplomat, writer, and Founding Father who served as the second president of the United States from 1797 to 1801. Before his presidency, he was a leader of the American Revolution that achieved independence from Great Britain. During the latter part of the Revolutionary War and in the early years of the new nation, he served the U.S. government as a senior diplomat in Europe. Adams was the first person to hold the office of vice president of the United States, serving from 1789 to 1797. He was a dedicated diarist and regularly corresponded with important contemporaries, including his wife and adviser Abigail Adams and his friend and political rival Thomas Jefferson.
A lawyer and political activist prior to the Revolution, Adams was devoted to the right to counsel and presumption of innocence. He defied anti-British sentiment and successfully defended British soldiers against murder charges arising from the Boston Massacre. Adams was a Massachusetts delegate to the Continental Congress and became a leader of the revolution. He assisted Jefferson in drafting the Declaration of Independence in 1776 and was its primary advocate in Congress. As a diplomat he helped negotiate a peace treaty with Great Britain and secured vital governmental loans. Adams was the primary author of the Massachusetts Constitution in 1780, which influenced the United States Constitution, as did his essay Thoughts on Government.
Adams was elected to two terms as vice president under President George Washington and was elected as the United States' second president in 1796. He was the only president elected under the banner of the Federalist Party. Adams's term was dominated by the issue of the French Revolutionary Wars, and his insistence on American neutrality led to fierce criticism from both the Jeffersonian Republicans and from some in his own party, led by his rival Alexander Hamilton. Adams signed the controversial Alien and Sedition Acts, and built up the Army and Navy in the undeclared naval war with France. He was the first president to reside in the White House.
In his bid in 1800 for reelection to the presidency, opposition from Federalists and accusations of despotism from Jeffersonians led to Adams losing to his vice president and former friend Jefferson, and he retired to Massachusetts. He eventually resumed his friendship with Jefferson by initiating a continuing correspondence. He and Abigail generated the Adams political family, including their son John Quincy Adams, the sixth president. John Adams died on July 4, 1826 – the fiftieth anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. Adams and his son are the only presidents of the first twelve who never owned slaves. Historians and scholars have favorably ranked his administration.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
February 6, 2016
Just to correct a reader's review, this book is not a series or collection of letters to heads of state all over the world. And it was not written to defend the US Constitution to other world leaders, for this volume was released before the US Constitution was written, and months before the Convention that wrote the US Constitution even met. Furthermore, the use of "letters" instead of chapters is a stylistic device.
Adams' three volume work was written to defend the constitutions of government that had been adopted by the several states after their separation from Great Britain. Several of these constitutions, which utilized mixed and balanced features, were being criticized in Europe because they too much resembled the British government.
Governments consisting of a single assembly were all the rage at the time, for they were viewed as being very "democratic," and a refreshing alternative to the monarchical governments that so pervaded Europe.
For example, Benjamin Franklin's Pennsylvania constitution, creating a single-assembly government, was heavily praised and considered modern and innovative, while John Adams' Massachusetts constitution, creating a mixed and balanced government, was highly criticized and considered outmoded and merely a copy of the government of Great Britain.
In typical Adams fashion, his work uses examples from history to demonstrate that single-assembly governments were not new or innovative, but had been tried and were all miserable failures, while properly mixed and balanced governments were the most stable, most free, and most long-lasting governments that ever existed.
Indeed, within a few years of the publication of Adams' work, the entire world would have an example of the turmoil and blood that result from a single-assembly government by watching the results of the revolution in France.
It should also be noted that Pennsylvania abandoned its single-assembly government by 1790, adopting instead the mixed and balanced government it has to this day. And John Adams' much maligned (by Europeans) Massachusetts constitution, with its mixed and balanced features, remains the oldest written constitution still in use IN THE WORLD. Indeed, it served as a model for the US Constitution, and Adams' work was much read by the delegates at Philadelphia who created it.
I am, however, happy that the reviewer found Adams' work to be an "enjoyable read," for it is indeed a classic, and timely in any age.
Adams' three volume work was written to defend the constitutions of government that had been adopted by the several states after their separation from Great Britain. Several of these constitutions, which utilized mixed and balanced features, were being criticized in Europe because they too much resembled the British government.
Governments consisting of a single assembly were all the rage at the time, for they were viewed as being very "democratic," and a refreshing alternative to the monarchical governments that so pervaded Europe.
For example, Benjamin Franklin's Pennsylvania constitution, creating a single-assembly government, was heavily praised and considered modern and innovative, while John Adams' Massachusetts constitution, creating a mixed and balanced government, was highly criticized and considered outmoded and merely a copy of the government of Great Britain.
In typical Adams fashion, his work uses examples from history to demonstrate that single-assembly governments were not new or innovative, but had been tried and were all miserable failures, while properly mixed and balanced governments were the most stable, most free, and most long-lasting governments that ever existed.
Indeed, within a few years of the publication of Adams' work, the entire world would have an example of the turmoil and blood that result from a single-assembly government by watching the results of the revolution in France.
It should also be noted that Pennsylvania abandoned its single-assembly government by 1790, adopting instead the mixed and balanced government it has to this day. And John Adams' much maligned (by Europeans) Massachusetts constitution, with its mixed and balanced features, remains the oldest written constitution still in use IN THE WORLD. Indeed, it served as a model for the US Constitution, and Adams' work was much read by the delegates at Philadelphia who created it.
I am, however, happy that the reviewer found Adams' work to be an "enjoyable read," for it is indeed a classic, and timely in any age.
February 3, 2016
This is a series of letters written by John Adams to several different heads of state all over the world. Many about their form of government and he seems to be defending the new constitution of the U.S. to other world leaders. It was a quick read as it is divided by letters not chapters.
All in all an enjoyable read, although I would have liked a little more background as to what was going on in history during the time each letter was written.
All in all an enjoyable read, although I would have liked a little more background as to what was going on in history during the time each letter was written.
February 9, 2016
I read this book as part of Goodreads' 'First to Read' program. I found the book very enlightening and as a good base for understanding the basis of why the US adopted the type and form of constitution that she did.
February 25, 2016
Interesting so far.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews