John Adams was a politician.
John Adams . He was a lawyer , diplomat , statesman , political theorist , and , as a Founding Father , a leader of the movement for American independence from Great Britain . Adams was a delegate from Massachusetts to the Continental Congress , where he played a leading role in persuading Congress to declare independence . In his single term as president , he encountered fierce criticism from the Jeffersonian Republicans , as well as the dominant faction in his own Federalist Party , led by his rival Alexander Hamilton . The major accomplishment of his presidency was a peaceful resolution of the conflict in the face of Hamilton 's opposition .