Roots, Rights and Reason with Lee Smith

Remembering John Adams

AmericasFuture Season 1 Episode 18

This week on Roots, Rights & Reason, host Lee Smith sits down with historian and author Professor C. Bradley Thompson to honor the life and legacy of one of America’s most underappreciated Founding Fathers-John Adams.

Though often overshadowed by Jefferson and Hamilton, Adams was, in Professor Thompson’s words, “America’s greatest Founding Father.” From his early leadership in revolutionary Boston to his decisive role in the Continental Congress, Adams was the moral and intellectual force behind independence itself; the Atlas of Independence and the Colossus on the floor.

In this episode, Smith and Thompson revisit Adams’ extraordinary contributions: his impassioned speech for independence on July 1, 1776, his authorship of the Massachusetts Constitution, and his far-reaching writings on government that would inspire the U.S. Constitution. They explore his philosophical break with Thomas Jefferson over the French Revolution and his lifelong belief that liberty must rest upon virtue and self-governance.

As the nation marks the anniversary of John Adams’ birth, this conversation calls Americans to remember the principles he fought for- truth, faith, moral courage, and “Independence forever.”

Tune in Wednesday, October 29th at 3:00 PM ET, on AmericasFuture.net and all podcast streaming platforms.

Follow C. Bradley Thompson on X: @‌CBradleyThomps1

Substack: http://TheRedneckIntellectual.com

Order Thompson's Books:

America's Revolutionary Mind  

John Adams and the Spirit of Liberty