#313 How John Adams Defined the Presidency w/ Lindsay Chervinsky

The Road to Now

John Adams’ single term as President has long been cast as a low point in his political career, but Lindsay Chervinsky sees it differently. "George Washington created the Presidency,” she writes in her new book Making the Presidency, “but John Adams defined it.”

In this episode, Lindsay joins us to share why she sees Adams as a crucial figure in transforming an office that had been established for, and created by, George Washington, into a position with the customs and practices that could be passed down through generations. Along the way, Lindsay explains why she thinks we’ve gotten Adams so wrong (hint: both Jefferson and Hamilton disliked his politics), the crucial role he played in establishing a peaceful transition of power, and how the January 6th insurrection might help us all have a greater appreciation for President John Adams.

Dr. Lindsay Chervinsky is the Executive Director of the George Washington Presidential Library and author of the new book Making the Presidency: John Adams and the Precedents That Forged the Republic, which is out September 5th, 2024 from Oxford University Press. You can find out more about her work at her website: lindsaychervinsky.com

If you enjoyed this episode, make sure to check out Lindsay Chervinsky's previous RTN appearances on The Road to Now:

· #184: The President’s Cabinet

· #263: Mourning the Presidents

· #296: The Election of 1824 (Part 1 in our Third Party Elections Series)

This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher