美国总统 约翰亚当斯.docx

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1、美国总统约翰亚当斯JohnAdams:HesNumberTwoVOALearningEnglishpresentsAmericasPresidents.TodaywearetalkingaboutJohnAdams.In1796zhewaselectedasthecountry,ssecondpresident.CourtesyTheWhiteHouseHistoricalAssociationBeingsecondcanbedifficult.Andbeingthesecondpresidentofanewcountry,followingapopularfirstpresidentsuch

2、asGeorgeWashington,turnedouttobeextremelydifficult.Foronething,Adamsdidnotalwaysgetalongwithotherpeople.Hewasknowntogetangryeasily,andoften.Adamsalsowasleaderofadividedadministration.Hisownvicepresidentoftendisagreedwithhim-passionately.ThesituationwastheresultofaruleintheConstitutionatthetime.Itsai

3、dthepersonwhoreceivedthemajorityofvotesbecamepresident.Thepersonwiththesecondlargestnumberofvotesbecamevicepresident.Theruleworkedfineforthefirsttwoelections.Washingtonhadwonthepresidency,andAdamswonthevicepresidency.Thetwomenbelongedtothesamepoliticalpartyandsharedmanypointsofview.Butin1796,Adams,o

4、pponentintheelection,ThomasJeffersonrbecamethevicepresident.Thetwomenwerepersonalfriends,butpoliticalenemies.PresidentAdamssupportedastrongfederalgovernmentthatprotectedtheinterestsofbusinessandthewealthy.VicePresidentJefferson,ontheotherhandzwantedtolimitthepowerofthefederalgovernment.Asaresult,Ada

5、msandJeffersonoftenclashed.Adamsalsomadewhatmanyhistoriansconsideramistakeinchoosinghiscabinet.AdamssimplykeptWashingtonsofficialadvisers,mostlytosatisfypoliticalopponents.Butlater,Adamslearnedthatmanyofhiscabinetmembersopposedhim,too.HistorianJohnFerlingsaysAdamswasinoverhishead,andstartedswimmingu

6、pstreamwalmostfromthestartofhispresidency.ForeignpolicycrisisOntopofallthat,Adamsfacedaforeignpolicycrisis.AftertheFrenchRevolution,GreatBritainalliedwithotherEuropeannationsagainstFrance.Theywantedtokeeptheunrestfromspreadingtotheircountries.AdamsworkedhardtomakesuretheU.S.didnotgetpulledintoawarbe

7、tweenFranceandGreatBritain.ButFrancedidnottrusttheU.S.IttriedtointerrupttradebyseizingU.S.ships.Adamswantedtoresolvetheproblempeacefully.Hethreatenedmilitaryaction,buthealsosentdiplomatstotalkwithFrenchofficials.Adamsaimedforanhonorablepeace,zwithFrance.Ittooksometimebuthegotit.HistorianJohnFerlings

8、aysalthoughthecrisisinEuropecausedAdamsendlesstrouble/7hedealtwithitwell.ManyyearsIaterzAdamswrotethatthegreatestjewelinhiscrown,zwasreachingpeacewithFrance.TheAdamsfamilyEvenifAdamsstruggledaspresident,hewassuccessfulinotherpartsofhislife.HegrewupoutsidethecityofBoston.Hisfatherwasafarmer,aswellasa

9、churchofficialandtownleader.However,AdamschosetoattendHarvardUniversityandbecomealawyer.Adamswasaverygoodlawyer.Infact,hewasoneofthebusiestlawyersinBoston.Hissuccessenabledhimtobuyabig,two-storyhousethatstillstandsinQuincy,Massachusetts.Adamsalsohadahappymarriage.Therelationshipbetweenhimandhiswife,

10、Abigail,isoneofthebest-knownofthattime.Thetwowrotemanyletterstoeachotherduringtheyearstheywereapart.Morethanlz000oftheirlettersstillsurvivetoday.JohnandAbigailAdamswerebothpassionatepatriotswhosupportedtheAmericanRevolution.AbigailAdamszPortraitbyBenjaminBlythzCirca1766Theyalsoagreedabouttheissueofs

11、lavery.UnlikemanyfoundingfamiliesoftheU.S.,thecoupledidnotownslavesandspokeoutagainstthesystemofpeopleowningotherpeople.Electionof1800InNovemberof1800zJohnandAbigailAdamsmovedtotheExecutiveMansioninWashington,D.C.AdamswasthefirstpresidenttoliveinwhatwenowcalltheWhiteHouse.Theywouldnotstaylong,howeve

12、r.Adamswasfacingadifficultre-electioncampaign.Hisvicepresident,ThomasJeffersonzwasrunningagainsthim.Hispartywasdivided-manyFederalistssupportedothercandidates.Andsomevotersdidnotlikehisdecisions-includingcreatingapermanentarmy,raisingtaxes,andlimitingtherightsofimmigrants.Thosefourlaws-calledtheAlie

13、nandSeditionActs-extendedthetimethatimmigrantshadtowaitbeforebecomingU.S.citizens.Theypermittedthegovernmenttodetaincitizensfromenemynationswithoutreasonduringwartime.Thelawsalsopermittedthepresidenttoexpelforeigncitizenshebelievedweredangerous.AndtheymadecriticizingthepresidentorCongressacrime.Adam

14、ssaidtheActsaimedtocontrolpeopleintheU.S.whosupportedFrance.Butmanypoliticiansatthetimearguedthatthelawsmostlyaffectedpeoplewhosupportedtheopposingpoliticalparty.HistorianJohnFerlingsaystheywereright.Andzhesays,AdamsmayhavebeenusingtheAlienandSeditionActstoprotecthispoliticalcareer.Buttheyendedupdam

15、aginghispublicimage.Theyalsoraisedthequestionforthefirsttimeofwhetherstateshadtherighttoignoreafederallawiftheydisagreedwithit.AdamsandJeffersonSupportersofVicePresidentThomasJeffersonusedAdams*approvaloftheAlienandSeditionActsagainsthimeffectively.JeffersonzScampaignsaidAdamsexercisedsomuchpowerasp

16、residentthathemustwanttheU.S.tobecomeamonarchy.Adams,campaignsaidJeffersonwasaradicalwhowouldbringrevolutiontothecountry.TheU.S.hadneverexperiencedsuchanuglyelectionbefore.Somepeoplewonderedwhetherthecountrywouldbeabletotransferpowerpeacefully.JohnAdamsz1797-1800byWilliamWinstanley.WhenJeffersonwon,howeverzAdamsdidnotresist.HeretiredtohisfarminMassachusetts.Adamsspentmostofhisretirementwritin