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

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

September 19 - Reception 5:00 p.m. Speaker 6:00 p.m.

Presidential historian Lindsay Chervinsky investigates the leadership and legacy of John Adams, whose presidency marked a period critical to the survival of the American republic and helped define the office for those who followed. Adams faced enormous challenges at home and abroad alongside impossible expectations as Washington’s successor in a new nation unsure if the presidency could even work without the father of the country at the helm. Relying on his own ideas about executive power and the Constitution, Adams defended the presidency from his own often obstructionist cabinet, protected the nation from foreign attacks, and forged trust and dedication to election integrity and the peaceful transfer of power between parties despite the costs to his political future.

Part of the 2024 Summer Speaker Series "The First Three: From Washington to Jefferson." Tickets $25 per presentation or $65 for the series. Includes wine and cheese reception with the speaker. Chervinsky's new book Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic will be available for purchase. Tickets

Made possible in part by a grant from VA250 Commission in partnership with Virginia Humanities.