s sons Henry and Brooks, and numerousother distinguished progeny.In 1761, John Adams began to think and write and act against British measures that hebelieved infringed on colonial liberties and the right of Massachusetts and the othercolonies to self-government. A pamphlet entitled A Dissertation on the Canon and theFeudal Law and town instructions denouncing the Stamp Act (1765) marked him as avigorous, patriotic penman, and, holding various local offices, he soon became a leaderamong Massachusetts radicals. Although he never wavered in his devotion to colonialrights and early committed himself to independence as an unwelcome last resort,Adams's innate conservatism made him determined in 1770 that the British soldiersaccused of the Boston Massacre receive a fair hearing. He defended the soldiers at theirtrial. He also spoke out repeatedly against mob violence and other signs of socialdisintegration. In 1774-76, Adams was a Massachusetts delegate to the Continental Congress inPhiladelphia. His speeches and writings (especially a newspaper series signed"Novanglus" in 1775) articulating the colonial cause and his brilliant championing ofAmerican rights in Congress caused Thomas Jefferson to call him the "Colossus ofIndependence." Adams helped draft the Declaration of Independence, secured itsunanimous adoption in Congress, and wrote his wife on July 3, 1776, that "the mostmemorable Epoch in the History of America has begun."After 18 months of toil in committee and on the floor of Congress managing theAmerican Revolution, Adams crossed the Atlantic to be an American commissioner toFrance. The termination of this mission after less than a year in Paris allowed him toreturn home long enough to take a leading role in drafting the new Massachusettsconstitution.He sailed again for Europe, accompanied by two of his sons, in November 1779 as acommissioner to seek peace with Britain. After quarrels in Paris with Benjamin Franklinand French offici...
