John Adams.ppt

“John Adams”-The giant of American IndependenceEarly Life and Education Adams was born in the Massachusetts Bay Colony in 1735.His father,the descendant of Puritans,continued in this religious tradition by serving as a Congregationalist deacon;he also farmed and served as a lieutenant in the militia.Further he served as a selectman,or town councilman,and supervised the building and planning of schools and roads.Adams commonly praised his father and indicated that he and his father were very close when he was a child.（亚当斯于1735出世在马萨诸塞殖民湾。亚当斯的父亲由于是清教徒的后代，因此坚持宗教传统担任教堂执事，他还是个农场主和民兵中尉。而且他还担任过市镇委员会委员、市议会议员，并且还监督着学校道路的计划和修建。亚当斯十分崇敬他的父亲并且他说当他小的时候和父亲关系十分亲近。）Young Adams went to Harvard College at age sixteen in 1751.After graduating in 1755 with an A.B.,he taught school for a few years in Worcester,Massachusetts,allowing himself time to think about his career choice.After much reflection,he decided to become a lawyer.In 1758,after earning an A.M.from Harvard,Adams was admitted to the bar.（1751年，年仅16岁的亚当斯进入了哈弗大学。在1755年他获得学士学位毕业之后，他在伍斯特、马赛诸塞教书并且在此期间思考他的职业选择。在深思熟虑之后，他决定成为一名律师。在1758取得证书后被接纳进入马赛诸塞州律师公会。）On October 25,1764,five days before his 29th birthday,Adams married Abigail Smith(17441818),the daughter of a Congregational minister,Rev.William Smith,at Weymouth,Massachusetts.Their children were Abigail(17651813);future president John Quincy Adams(17671848);Susanna(17681770);Charles(17701800);Thomas Boylston(17721832);and Elizabeth(stillborn 1777).（在1764年10月25日，亚当斯29岁生日的前五天，他与阿比盖尔史密斯在马萨诸塞州魏茂斯结婚。阿比盖尔史密斯是公会理事长威廉史密斯的女儿。他们的孩子分别是Abigail、John Quincy Adams、Susanna、Charles、homas Boylston、Elizabeth，Elizabeth夭折了）Abigail Smith(his wife)Abigail Adams Smith(his first daughter)John Quincy Adams(his first son,future president)Charles Adams(his second son)Continental Congress Massachusetts sent Adams to the first and second Continental Congresses in 1774 and from 1775 to 1777.In June 1775,with a view of promoting union among the colonies,he nominated George Washington of Virginia as commander-in-chief of the army then assembled around Boston.His influence in Congress was great,and almost from the beginning,he sought permanent separation from Britain.（亚当斯被推选为马萨诸塞州的代表，参加1774年和从1775到1777年的两次大陆会议。致力于把早期的抗英基地扩大到南部的殖民地。为了达到这个目的，1775年6月，他提名乔治华盛顿担任大陆军总司令并且在波斯顿集合。亚当斯对于整个大陆会议都产生了巨大的影响，他企图让美国永久地脱离英国。）Thoughts on Government.Adams advised that the form of government should be chosen to attain the desired ends,which are the happiness and virtue of the greatest number of people.Declaration of Independence Adams was appointed to the Committee of Five with Thomas Jefferson,Benjamin Franklin,Robert R.Livingston and Roger Sherman to draft the Declaration,which was to be ready when Congress voted on independence.Trumbulls Declaration of Independence depicts committee presenting draft Declaration of Independence to Congress.Adams at center has hand on hip.（Trumbull的这幅画“独立宣言”描绘了委员会向议会提交独立宣言草案。亚当斯是中间那个把手放在腰上的人。）During the Revolutionary War He served in France and Holland in diplomatic roles,and helped negotiate the treaty of peace.From 1785 to 1788 he was minister to the Court of St.Jamess,returning to be elected Vice President under George Washington.（革命战争期间，他作为外交官服务于法国和荷兰之间，并且帮助谈判和平条约。从1785年到1788年，他是詹姆士法庭的部长，回国之后在乔治华盛顿当总统期间被选举为副总统。）Vice PresidencyAdams two terms as Vice President were frustrating experiences for a man of his vigor,intellect,and vanity.He complained to his wife Abigail,My country has in its wisdom contrived for me the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived.（亚当斯担任两任副总统对他这样一个充满精力、才智、和自负的人来说是令人沮丧的经历。他曾向他的妻子阿比盖尔抱怨到，“我们的国家自作聪明，拿最微不足道的职位给我，就像某人的一时兴起或突发奇想一样”。）Presidency:17971801When Adams became President,the war between the French and British was causing great difficulties for the United States on the high seas and intense partisanship among contending factions within the Nation.（在亚当斯担任总统时，法国和英国之间的战争为美国在公海和国内强烈的党派之争的问题上造成了很大的困难。）XYZ AffairAdams sent three commissioners to France,but in the spring of 1798 word arrived that the French Foreign Minister Talleyrand and the Directory had refused to negotiate with them unless they would first pay a substantial bribe.Adams reported the insult to Congress,and the Senate printed the correspondence,in which the Frenchmen were referred to only as X,Y,and Z.（亚当斯曾派三名专员前往法国，但是在1798年春天，消息传来法国外交部长塔列朗和工党拒绝与他们谈判，除非他们先支付一大笔贿赂金。亚当斯把这次侮辱报告给了国会，随后参议院印发了回执，文中称法国人为“X，Y，和Z。”）Domestic Policy Congress appropriated money to complete three new frigates and to build additional ships,and authorized the raising of a provisional army.It also passed the Alien and Sedition Acts,intended to frighten foreign agents out of the country and to stifle the attacks of Republican editors.（国会拨款组建了三艘新的护卫舰以及更多的船只，并授权组建一支临时的军队。它还通过了煽动分裂法案，企图恐吓外国代理人出境和遏制共和国破坏者的攻击行为。）President Adams did not call for a declaration of war,but hostilities began at sea.Despite several brilliant naval victories,war fever subsided.Word came to Adams that France also had no stomach for war and would receive an envoy with respect.Long negotiations ended the quasi war.（亚当斯总统并未宣战，但是战争在海边一触即发。尽管海军战绩不错，战争的硝烟也慢慢退去。有消息传给亚当斯，法国也不想战争，出于尊重，他们会接待特使。长时间的谈判结束了这场名副其实的战争。）Sending a peace mission to France brought the full fury of the Hamiltonians against Adams.In the campaign of 1800 the Republicans were united and effective,the Federalists badly divided.Nevertheless,Adams polled only a few less electoral votes than Jefferson,who became President.（和平使命被带到法国后，汉密尔顿对亚当斯大动肝火。在1800年的选举中，共和党众志成城，而联邦党却分歧不断。不过，亚当斯仅比杰弗逊落后几张选票，后者当上了总统。）Adams retired to his farm in Quincy.Less than a month before his death,John Adams issued a statement about the destiny of the United States.My best wishes,in the joys,and festivities,and the solemn services of that day on which will be completed the fiftieth year from its birth,of the independence of the United States:a memorable epoch in the annals of the human race,destined in future history to form the brightest or the blackest page,according to the use or the abuse of those political institutions by which they shall,in time to come,be shaped by the human mind.After his presidency