ABSTRACT
John Quincy Adams used a distinguished career in government to strengthen the international presence of the early United States and to solidify the power of the federal government in managing the country's affairs. Born on July 11, 1767, John Quincy was groomed by his father, John Adams, already an important leader of the American Revolution and later the second president of the United States, for service in public life and government. John Quincy received an excellent primary education from tutors in Boston and while accompanying his father on diplomatic missions. Between 1794 and 1801, under Presidents Washington and Adams, John Quincy served as the minister of the United States to various nations, including the Netherlands, Prussia, and Portugal. Sympathetic to the Federalist cause, which strove for a strong and centralized government, John Quincy throughout his career sought the expansion and protection of the United States.
