John Adams, A Diplomat in Europe

American Revolution
Written By Tom Hand

John Adams retired from Congress in November 1777 but was soon appointed as a commissioner to France, marking the start of his diplomatic career. After two years in France, Adams, on his own initiative, set off for Amsterdam, the capital of the Netherlands, to secure recognition of American independence and obtain a desperately needed loan for the United States.

Tom Hand, creator and publisher of Americana Corner, discusses how Adams, through his unilateral efforts, gained not only credit but credibility for the country to which he was so devoted, and why it still matters today.

Images courtesy of the National Portrait Gallery - Smithsonian Institution, Library of Congress, National Gallery of Art, Yale University Art Gallery, Wikipedia.

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