Compare & Contrast John Adams to Thomas Jefferson Essay

Compare & Contrast John Adams to Thomas Jefferson - Essay Example This essay discusses both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, who were hot headed and passionate Presidents of the United States. The researcher states that they were also political rivals, who reconciled later in their lives. Also, both of them are known to be sharply opinionated and self obsessed. John Adams was generally unpopular among the masses. He was seen as being honestly stubborn, opinionated and politically aloof. He believed that the executive branch should stand above politics, and thus exercised abstinence from major political matters. Though John Adams might not be the people’s President, he did leave behind a remarkable legacy. He introduced to America the art of avoiding war and settling disputes through diplomacy. But if one were to o put in simple words, Jefferson was the lesser of the two devils. He laid down some very fundamental ideals of democracy and dreamt of an exceptionally governed country. In spite of these glorious achievements, Jefferson has been st rongly condemned for being a hypocritical slave owner. He faced immense criticism as he failed to free his own slaves, thus acting against the very ideals of equality. He often struggled to make peace between his ideals of nation development and human equality. But again, their own short comings are responsible for their current public image. One can find a bizarre pattern of similarity in their personal traits. Perhaps it is no coincidence then that both of them died on the same day within a few hours of each other.