Part I: How is John Adams portrayed in the series? What do you see as his streng
ID: 3118931 • Letter: P
Question
Part I: How is John Adams portrayed in the series? What do you see as his strengths and weaknesses? What words would you use to characterize his personality? Which scenes (Be specific!) shed the most light on his views and values?
Part II: In Part 1 of the miniseries, Adams agrees to defend British soldiers accused of firing at colonists during the Boston Massacre. Why does Adams make this controversial decision? What is the outcome of the case? What price does Adams pay for this decision? Do you see a contradiction between Adams’s identity as an American patriot and his role as a defender of British soldiers? Explain.
Explanation / Answer
Part 1 -
The portrayal of John Adams is quite complicated in the HBO mini-series. He was a man of principle, and he had certain visions and aspects which he strived to achieve. He was the only founding father who never owned a slave, not because he didn't want one but he didn't think it was fair to hand work off to someone else to do, he would complete it himself. Saying this, one of the most important characteristics of John Adams was his stubbornness and honesty.
John Adams was a man of phenomenal honesty. This honesty was his strength and weakness when it came to the world of politics. He was a very impatient man, this came into motion when he argued for the separation of the colonies. He was so eager for the division he didn't really think about other people's opinions and thoughts, his came first. He was very emotional and often found himself saying the wrong thing and making enemies.
He argued for independence, and he argued hard. He fought the battle on the floor in the Continental Congress resulting in the vote that America become an independent nation.
There were many scenes where John shared his morals and views. One of the most important of these is the one I have shared below. John ends the speech by saying "and liberty will reign in America!"
Part II
John Adams believed that the rule of law should be paramount and that the British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre deserved a fair trial. He knew of the dangers to his practice and of the violence that the mob was capable therefore endangering his wife and young children but he went through with it to show Britain that the colonists courts were a fair place.
Captain Preston and six of his men were acquitted while two others who were convicted of manslaughter were sentenced to be branded with an 'm' on their thumbs.
The actions of John Adams made him very unpopular with the patriots in Boston for several months. You could say that this was the starting point for his unpopular career. However, knowing that these people were angry at him didn't tend to bother him to dearly, he defended the British soldiers through principle rather than the sympathy of their cause.
I do not see a contradiction between the identity of an American patriot and the role of defender of the British soldiers. John Adams did what he believed was right, and it was. If John wasn't an important American patriot he would not have achieved any of what he did in his lifetime.