{"id":2096,"date":"2021-06-05T06:57:12","date_gmt":"2021-06-05T11:57:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/?p=2096"},"modified":"2023-05-01T20:46:58","modified_gmt":"2023-05-02T01:46:58","slug":"insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/","title":{"rendered":"Insights on Education from the Life of John Adams"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

This past month I have been reading David McCullough\u2019s biography<\/a> on John Adams. Adams, as you may recall, was a key leader amongst the colonies throughout their concerted effort to gain independence from British rule. He experienced first hand the benefits of life in the British Empire as well as the eventual challenges. Adams would play a key role in the earliest meetings of the Continental Congress, debating loyalists, those desiring to stay loyal to King George III. Later on, John Adams would participate in the early governmental efforts of the colonies, serving as the first Vice-President and second President of the United States of America. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, I will share about some key elements in the early life of John Adams, demonstrating the role education played in his development. Living in 18th century New England, Adams\u2019 world is quite different than our own, and yet, there are some striking points of connection. Through highlighting some of these points, my hope is that readers will come away inspired about the craft of teaching<\/a>, especially teaching the classics, and eager to pick up a biography of their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Biographies and Education<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First, a word on biographies and how they intersect with my work as an educator. As I have been reading about the life of John Adams, it has become obvious to me just how helpful biographies are for those seeking to teach. Here are two reasons. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

First, since education can be understood as \u201cthe science of relations<\/a>,\u201d a phrase used by Charlotte Mason, a comprehensive education must include the study of past figures and events, that is, history. The story of one particular past figure offers a unique entry point into the subject of history as it presents to the reader one coherent narrative, a life, over a duration of time. Biographies demonstrate both how individuals are affected by broader historical and cultural forces, and conversely, how individuals affect these forces themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Second, biographies help us as educators contextualize our current educational landscape. Any biography you pick up will contain some traces of education. The individual may be educated at home, school, or through a tutor. In some cases, she may not be formally educated at all, but instead finds ways to teach herself or learn through practical experiences. The point is that education is at play in the life of every figure, past or present, and educators can gain theoretical insights about all sorts of forms of education without ever stepping into the classroom itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Early Education<\/strong> of John Adams<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

John Adams (1735-1826) grew up outside of Boston in Braintree, Massachusetts, in a relatively modest setting. His father worked as a farmer and served as a deacon in the local Congregrationalist Church. His mother came from a prominent family in the medical community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His father identified Adams’ intellectual aptitude from a young age and ensured he would receive a formal education. He was taught to read at home or from the neighborhood \u201cdame\u201d with heavy reliance on The New England Primer.<\/em> Unfortunately, Adams lost interest in school during this time due to a poor relationship with the teacher. He had no desire to read or study, instead turning his sights on becoming a farmer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, after talking with his father, it became clear that the teacher, not the school work or learning itself, was the problem. As a result, his father enrolled Adams in a private school down the road, where a new schoolmaster named Joseph Marsh helped spark a renaissance in his love for learning. Adams became a voracious reader and soon enough a small textbook edition of Cicero\u2019s Orations<\/em> become one of his earliest and proudest possessions. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Love for the Classics, Especially Cicero<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

At age 15, Adams was pronounced ready for college and enrolled at Harvard, the only choice at the time. He became an attorney, not a classicist, but this did not stop him from integrating classical literature into his reading diet. In fact, after his stint as a school teacher, it was his reading of Cicero that prompted him to move from his hometown of Braintree to advance his career in Boston, seeking to “win renown.” He often read Cicero\u2019s Orations<\/em> during his free time, finding significant inspiration through the rhetorical excellence of the speeches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

As a brief aside, in a special introduction to a modern republication<\/a> of Orations<\/em>, translator Charles Yonge writes, <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEloquence, the quintessence of oratory, has ever been a safe criterion of the intellectual and moral level of a people, its decay an indication of torpor and of decay of the ideal\u201d (iii).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

It is no accident that John Adams, a future leader in colonial efforts for independence, was exposed to a literary diet rich in eloquence early on. Eloquence can be defined as fluency in speech and writing, and Adams would later prove to be a master in this art.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Starting Off as a Teacher<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

After his Harvard years, Adams took a post as a schoolmaster to earn the funds necessary to apprentice under an attorney. It was a one-room schoolhouse in the center of town. Although Adam was untrained as a teacher, he suddenly found himself responsible for the intellectual development of, approximately, a dozen boys and girls. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

While Adams did not enjoy his time as a teacher, he did learn some lessons about education, one being that children respond better to encouragement than punishment. At the same time, Adams learned that teachers ought to be cautious in how much praise they give, or it will become too familiar and lose its influence (38). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unfortunately, Adams turned out to not be a very strong teacher. He was more often found writing and reading at his desk at the front of the school-house, rather than instructing his students. He read Milton, Virgil, Voltaire, and various works of history. Through his study, Adams became more and more interested in politics, history, and the ways humans come together to make an orderly society. He did not, however, become a better teacher.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Boston Massacre<\/strong> Trial<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On March 5, 1770, a deadly riot broke out between British patrolmen and a Boston mob, which became known as the Boston Massacre. It is difficult to know precisely how the riot began, including who started the conflict, but the trail of blood tells no lies: British soldiers killed five colonists. As one can imagine, with dissatisfaction toward British rule already growing among the colonies following the Stamp Act<\/a>, this incident threw fuel on the fire. Captain Thomas Preston and seven other soldiers were imprisoned and awaited trial with the anticipated outcome being the death penalty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The question then became: who would legally defend the soldiers in court? In a time of such division between Bostonians and the British, who would want to? Adams was no advocate for British rule, but he was a strong proponent for justice. He believed in the right for each individual to receive a fair trial. Using his training as an attorney, Adams followed his conscience and offered himself to serve as the defendant lawyer. He diligently and compellingly made the case for the innocence of the soldiers, or at least, the lack of clear evidence for the contrary. The outcome: six of the soldiers were acquitted and the remaining two received punishments other than the death penalty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This anecdote highlights the character of John Adams. His decision to defend the British soldiers was not a popular one among his fellow Bostonians. If he had any future plans for political office at the time, it is not evident based on this sort of action. And yet, through this instance we can see the moral fiber of Adams. His backbone. His convictions. Here Adams reflects on this memory:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf, by supporting the rights of mankind, and of invincible truth, I shall contribute to save from the agonies of death one unfortunate victim of tyranny, or of ignorance, equally fatal, his blessings and years of transport will be sufficient consolation to me for the contempt of all mankind.\u201d (67).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Adams valued what is true and just over popular opinion, and yet his stellar performance and resolute character would eventually earn him a reputation as a strong and capable leader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abigail Adams and the Classics<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\"\"<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

There is one final element I would like to share about John Adams and the role learning played in his early life. When the Continental Congress met in Philadelphia to debate possible responses to British tyranny, Adams was a prominent figure in the cause for independence. More and more, Adams championed the cause for liberty and his arousing speeches influenced many colonial delegates to join his side. In February 1776, it became clear to Adams that independence was the only guarantee for American liberty. And yet, while colonists had discussed this option privately, no public discussion had occurred up to this point. Adams began to wrestle about when and how to make the radical motion for a colonial revolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During this time of wrestling, Adams’ wife Abigail offered him encouragement from a renowned Shakespearean passage:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There is a tide in the affairs of men, <\/p>

Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune;<\/p>

Omitted, all the voyage of their life<\/p>

Is bound in the shallows and in miseries\u2026<\/p>

And we must take the current when it serves,<\/p>

Or lose our ventures.<\/p>William Shakespeare, Julius Caesar, <\/em>Act 4, Scene III<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Abigail’s encouragement to her husband is clear: the time is now to declare independence from Britain. As Brutus and Cassius deliberated their own path in the drama of Julius Caesar<\/em>, so Adams must now take a step forward into his eventual fate. Abigail drew on her own reading of the classics to support her husband in this courageous move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As I have sought to demonstrate in this article, there is much educators can gain by picking up and reading biographies. Not only do biographies expand our grasp of history. They contain keen insights into historical practices of education and offer glimpses of wisdom for how great men and women lived in previous times. In the early life of John Adams, one can see how crucial of a role education and learning played in his life. If it were not for his supportive father, inspiring teacher, and reading diet of the classics, it is not obvious that the Founding Father we know today would have founded more than a quaint legal practice in Braintree, Massachusetts.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This past month I have been reading David McCullough\u2019s biography on John Adams. Adams, as you may recall, was a key leader amongst the colonies throughout their concerted effort to gain independence from British rule. He experienced first hand the benefits of life in the British Empire as well as the eventual challenges. Adams would […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":2097,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[38],"tags":[458,457,460,459,52,456,23,27],"class_list":["post-2096","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-history-of-education","tag-458","tag-american-history","tag-cicero","tag-classics","tag-education","tag-john-adams","tag-liberal-arts","tag-rhetoric"],"yoast_head":"\nInsights on Education from the Life of John Adams •<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Learn how education and learning played a role in the life and achievements of the Founding Father John Adams.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Insights on Education from the Life of John Adams •\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Learn how education and learning played a role in the life and achievements of the Founding Father John Adams.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2021-06-05T11:57:12+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2023-05-02T01:46:58+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/John-Adams.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"897\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Kolby Atchison\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Kolby Atchison\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"9 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Kolby Atchison\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/#\/schema\/person\/5102870afaf16d74d0ad1fa4ed0363bd\"},\"headline\":\"Insights on Education from the Life of John Adams\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-06-05T11:57:12+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-05-02T01:46:58+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/\"},\"wordCount\":1748,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/#\/schema\/person\/2d4cdc44e87637ecf2c2c4327e66ade6\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/John-Adams.jpeg?fit=1400%2C897&ssl=1\",\"keywords\":[\"1776\",\"American history\",\"Cicero\",\"classics\",\"education\",\"John Adams\",\"liberal arts\",\"rhetoric\"],\"articleSection\":[\"History of Education\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/\",\"name\":\"Insights on Education from the Life of John Adams •\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/John-Adams.jpeg?fit=1400%2C897&ssl=1\",\"datePublished\":\"2021-06-05T11:57:12+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2023-05-02T01:46:58+00:00\",\"description\":\"Learn how education and learning played a role in the life and achievements of the Founding Father John Adams.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/John-Adams.jpeg?fit=1400%2C897&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/John-Adams.jpeg?fit=1400%2C897&ssl=1\",\"width\":1400,\"height\":897},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Insights on Education from the Life of John Adams\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/\",\"name\":\"\",\"description\":\"Promoting a Rebirth of Ancient Wisdom for the Modern Era\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/#\/schema\/person\/2d4cdc44e87637ecf2c2c4327e66ade6\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":[\"Person\",\"Organization\"],\"@id\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/#\/schema\/person\/2d4cdc44e87637ecf2c2c4327e66ade6\",\"name\":\"Patrick Egan\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cropped-Screenshot-2025-02-23-at-10.17.57%E2%80%AFPM-1.png?fit=1093%2C995&ssl=1\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cropped-Screenshot-2025-02-23-at-10.17.57%E2%80%AFPM-1.png?fit=1093%2C995&ssl=1\",\"width\":1093,\"height\":995,\"caption\":\"Patrick Egan\"},\"logo\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\"}},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/#\/schema\/person\/5102870afaf16d74d0ad1fa4ed0363bd\",\"name\":\"Kolby Atchison\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d73aecc58884ed3f866d4ecd69943f4a233d779692f1253bf5476ce84a59ccbd?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d73aecc58884ed3f866d4ecd69943f4a233d779692f1253bf5476ce84a59ccbd?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\"caption\":\"Kolby Atchison\"},\"url\":\"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/author\/kolbyatchison\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Insights on Education from the Life of John Adams •","description":"Learn how education and learning played a role in the life and achievements of the Founding Father John Adams.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Insights on Education from the Life of John Adams •","og_description":"Learn how education and learning played a role in the life and achievements of the Founding Father John Adams.","og_url":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/","article_published_time":"2021-06-05T11:57:12+00:00","article_modified_time":"2023-05-02T01:46:58+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1400,"height":897,"url":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/John-Adams.jpeg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Kolby Atchison","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Kolby Atchison","Est. reading time":"9 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/"},"author":{"name":"Kolby Atchison","@id":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/#\/schema\/person\/5102870afaf16d74d0ad1fa4ed0363bd"},"headline":"Insights on Education from the Life of John Adams","datePublished":"2021-06-05T11:57:12+00:00","dateModified":"2023-05-02T01:46:58+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/"},"wordCount":1748,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/#\/schema\/person\/2d4cdc44e87637ecf2c2c4327e66ade6"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/John-Adams.jpeg?fit=1400%2C897&ssl=1","keywords":["1776","American history","Cicero","classics","education","John Adams","liberal arts","rhetoric"],"articleSection":["History of Education"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/","url":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/","name":"Insights on Education from the Life of John Adams •","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/John-Adams.jpeg?fit=1400%2C897&ssl=1","datePublished":"2021-06-05T11:57:12+00:00","dateModified":"2023-05-02T01:46:58+00:00","description":"Learn how education and learning played a role in the life and achievements of the Founding Father John Adams.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/John-Adams.jpeg?fit=1400%2C897&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/John-Adams.jpeg?fit=1400%2C897&ssl=1","width":1400,"height":897},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/06\/05\/insights-on-education-from-the-life-of-john-adams\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Insights on Education from the Life of John Adams"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/","name":"","description":"Promoting a Rebirth of Ancient Wisdom for the Modern Era","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/#\/schema\/person\/2d4cdc44e87637ecf2c2c4327e66ade6"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":["Person","Organization"],"@id":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/#\/schema\/person\/2d4cdc44e87637ecf2c2c4327e66ade6","name":"Patrick Egan","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cropped-Screenshot-2025-02-23-at-10.17.57%E2%80%AFPM-1.png?fit=1093%2C995&ssl=1","contentUrl":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/03\/cropped-Screenshot-2025-02-23-at-10.17.57%E2%80%AFPM-1.png?fit=1093%2C995&ssl=1","width":1093,"height":995,"caption":"Patrick Egan"},"logo":{"@id":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/#\/schema\/person\/5102870afaf16d74d0ad1fa4ed0363bd","name":"Kolby Atchison","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d73aecc58884ed3f866d4ecd69943f4a233d779692f1253bf5476ce84a59ccbd?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/d73aecc58884ed3f866d4ecd69943f4a233d779692f1253bf5476ce84a59ccbd?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Kolby Atchison"},"url":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/author\/kolbyatchison\/"}]}},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/John-Adams.jpeg?fit=1400%2C897&ssl=1","uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/John-Adams.jpeg?fit=1400%2C897&ssl=1",1400,897,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/John-Adams.jpeg?resize=150%2C150&ssl=1",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/John-Adams.jpeg?fit=300%2C192&ssl=1",300,192,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/John-Adams.jpeg?fit=768%2C492&ssl=1",768,492,true],"large":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/John-Adams.jpeg?fit=1024%2C656&ssl=1",1024,656,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/John-Adams.jpeg?fit=1400%2C897&ssl=1",1400,897,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/John-Adams.jpeg?fit=1400%2C897&ssl=1",1400,897,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"Kolby Atchison","author_link":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/author\/kolbyatchison\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"This past month I have been reading David McCullough\u2019s biography on John Adams. Adams, as you may recall, was a key leader amongst the colonies throughout their concerted effort to gain independence from British rule. He experienced first hand the benefits of life in the British Empire as well as the eventual challenges. Adams would…","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pa7K1D-xO","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2197,"url":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/07\/24\/liberal-arts-and-the-transmission-of-culture\/","url_meta":{"origin":2096,"position":0},"title":"Liberal Arts and the Transmission of Culture","author":"Kolby Atchison","date":"July 24, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"In classical circles, we speak often about the importance of the liberal arts, over and against mere career-readiness skills, but we do not always elaborate. The reality is that career-readiness skills--skills like analyzing data, applying information technology, preparing for an interview, and completing tasks efficiently--are immensely helpful. The problem is\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Classical Tradition"","block_context":{"text":"Classical Tradition","link":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/category\/classical-tradition\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/city-2-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C787&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/city-2-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C787&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/city-2-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C787&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/city-2-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C787&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/07\/city-2-1.jpeg?fit=1200%2C787&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":89,"url":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2018\/10\/27\/john-the-baptist-as-teacher-jesus-as-learner\/","url_meta":{"origin":2096,"position":1},"title":"John the Baptist as Teacher – Jesus as Learner","author":"Patrick Egan","date":"October 27, 2018","format":false,"excerpt":"I\u2019ve been exploring the life of Jesus from the vantage point of his teaching ministry in order to gain insight into methods that would inform our own pedagogy. Interestingly, this exploration took me to Jesus as learner, especially during his formative pre-ministry years as a disciple of John the Baptist.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Biblical worldview"","block_context":{"text":"Biblical worldview","link":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/category\/biblical-worldview\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist in stained glass","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Canva-Baptism-of-Jesus-Christ-Stained-Glass.jpg?fit=828%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Canva-Baptism-of-Jesus-Christ-Stained-Glass.jpg?fit=828%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Canva-Baptism-of-Jesus-Christ-Stained-Glass.jpg?fit=828%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/Canva-Baptism-of-Jesus-Christ-Stained-Glass.jpg?fit=828%2C1200&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1785,"url":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/01\/02\/why-the-history-of-narration-matters-part-3-narrations-rebirth\/","url_meta":{"origin":2096,"position":2},"title":"Why the History of Narration Matters, Part 3: Narration’s Rebirth","author":"Jason Barney","date":"January 2, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"In my previous two articles I framed my discussion of the history of narration with the controversy between Charlotte Mason and classical Christian education advocates. I suggested that narration\u2019s history may be a fact that puts to rest the false dichotomies of either side. While Charlotte Mason did claim discovery\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "History of Education"","block_context":{"text":"History of Education","link":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/category\/history-of-education\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Renaissance","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/renaissance.jpg?fit=1200%2C533&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/renaissance.jpg?fit=1200%2C533&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/renaissance.jpg?fit=1200%2C533&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/renaissance.jpg?fit=1200%2C533&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/renaissance.jpg?fit=1200%2C533&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":2435,"url":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2021\/12\/04\/expanding-narrations-history-in-the-late-middle-ages-bernard-of-chartres-from-john-of-salisburys-metalogicon\/","url_meta":{"origin":2096,"position":3},"title":"Expanding Narration’s History in the late Middle Ages: Bernard of Chartres from John of Salisbury’s Metalogicon","author":"Jason Barney","date":"December 4, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"This is the third blog article expanding the short history of narration I laid out a year ago. In the last two I expanded my treatment of John Amos Comenius to engage in detail with the passages from The Great Didactic and the Analytical Didactic that recommend activities that Charlotte\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "History of Education"","block_context":{"text":"History of Education","link":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/category\/history-of-education\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Chartres_-_Cathedrale_2012.01_08-e1638620744242.jpg?fit=799%2C533&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Chartres_-_Cathedrale_2012.01_08-e1638620744242.jpg?fit=799%2C533&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Chartres_-_Cathedrale_2012.01_08-e1638620744242.jpg?fit=799%2C533&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/Chartres_-_Cathedrale_2012.01_08-e1638620744242.jpg?fit=799%2C533&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":1591,"url":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2020\/10\/03\/why-the-history-of-narration-matters-part-1-charlotte-masons-discovery\/","url_meta":{"origin":2096,"position":4},"title":"Why The History of Narration Matters, Part 1: Charlotte Mason’s Discovery?","author":"Jason Barney","date":"October 3, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"I\u2019ve decided to put the series on Bloom's Taxonomy vs. Aristotle\u2019s Intellectual Virtues on hold for a couple months after contracting with Classical Academic Press to film two courses in December for ClassicalU: one on narration and another on Charlotte Mason\u2019s philosophy for classical educators. So I\u2019m returning to the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "History of Education"","block_context":{"text":"History of Education","link":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/category\/history-of-education\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"an old and traditional school room","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Canva-Brown-Wooden-Desks-With-Benches.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Canva-Brown-Wooden-Desks-With-Benches.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Canva-Brown-Wooden-Desks-With-Benches.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Canva-Brown-Wooden-Desks-With-Benches.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/Canva-Brown-Wooden-Desks-With-Benches.jpg?fit=1200%2C795&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":864,"url":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/2020\/01\/25\/charlotte-mason-and-the-power-of-ideas\/","url_meta":{"origin":2096,"position":5},"title":"Charlotte Mason and the Power of Ideas","author":"Kolby Atchison","date":"January 25, 2020","format":false,"excerpt":"As Charlotte Mason observed, there is nothing quite like the experience of being struck by an idea. The experience is equivalent to being the recipient of some unexpected treasure. Ideas loosen our grip on holding a thin view of the world. They open our minds, especially through narration, to connections\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Charlotte Mason"","block_context":{"text":"Charlotte Mason","link":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/category\/charlotte-mason\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Mind.jpg?fit=724%2C483&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Mind.jpg?fit=724%2C483&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Mind.jpg?fit=724%2C483&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/01\/Mind.jpg?fit=724%2C483&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]}],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2096","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2096"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2096\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2111,"href":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2096\/revisions\/2111"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2097"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2096"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2096"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/educationalrenaissance.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2096"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}