Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic

John Adams may have been one of the most qualified Americans to be elected president. He has, however, been largely overshadowed by George Washington and Thomas Jefferson. Award–winning Chervinsky (The Cabinet: George Washington and the Creation of an American Institution), a noted presidential historian and the executive director of the George Washington Presidential Library, wants to highlight the Adams presidency with a new analysis of its lasting historic impact. She provides a nuanced perspective of the election of 1796, which brought Vice President Adams to the presidency and then illustrates the unique challenges faced by Adams and shows how he shaped the office for his successors. The peaceful transition of political power to a new president is one lesson learned from Washington and Adams. The book also sets the election of 1796 in its historical context with echoes to the 21st-century American political landscape.