Comparison of Benjamin Rush and John Adams

Cody Palladino

Revolution essay

Between the year of 1760 and the 1800 many events happened including the revolutionary war that would become an important part of American history. Both Benjamin Rush and John Adams were very accomplished men that had very different views on the revolution in America. Also, both john Adams and Benjamin Rush had enormous influence on the outcome of the American revolution. During this essay, I will explain how the view of Benjamin Rush and john Adams differ from one another such as how John Adams thought that the American revolution was over before the war but that wasn’t the case for Benjamin rush as for he thought the American revolution was far from over even after the revolutionary war. Also as much as they did not agree upon each others view of when the revolution ended they did agree upon some idea about the American revolution. Lastly this essay will explain my views as well to if the American revolution qualify as revolutionary.

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First, John Adams was one of the leader in the American revolution, and was the second president of the united states form (1797 to 1801). He was born in Massachusetts and was soon to be recognized as a Harvard-educated graduate who shortly after became a lawyer. John Adams was extremely intelligent, patriotic, and very opinionated. Adams became a huge correspondent of great Britain’s colonial America and he also thought that the British tariffs and high taxes were a tool of oppression. In 1765 the passage of the Stamp Act thrusted Adams into the public affairs of the empire and colony. This same year John Adams had Published his first major essay about politics called A dissertation on the Canon and Feudal Law, and also composed the “Braintree Instruction.” These pieces of work assailed the Stamp Act for striping the American colonists of their two basic rights. These two rights were, the rights to be taxed only by consent and tired only by one’s peers for the jury, these rights were guaranteed to all Englishmen by the Magna Carta and were still being taken away. In the 1770s John Adams became a member of the continental congress. John Adams was also one of the only two signers of the Declaration of Independence. John Adams had dedicated his life to the cause of liberty and to the development of the republican government in America. His views and beliefs about the American revolution are far from that of Benjamin Rush. John Adams believed that that the revolution occurred before the actual war did. Adams has suggested that the colonists has already mentally rebelled against the monarchy before the actual bloodshed. The event such as the Boston tea party supported his claims. Thus, was because when England started taxation British people rebelled throwing tea off the ship into the harbor which could be evidence that there was already a metal revolution.

Next, Benjamin Rush was a big advocator of social reforms and also the singer of the Declaration of Independence. Benjamin Rush was extremely well educated and became a doctor and surgeon during the war who treated the wounded. Benjamin Rush was one of the top Physician in the newly developing Americas. Benjamin was a strong supporter for his nation and the people trying to help out where he can even provide medical care for the poor. He was a very vocal proponent of the emancipation of slaves, descent care for the mentally ill, and also public education. Rush agreed with John Adams and wanted to abolish to Stamp Act of 1765 because he thought is was ludicrous and also a violation to the American people imposed by the British primarily because they were in a long 7-year debt. He had and influence on one of the founding fathers Thomas Paine in which Paine wrote a book called Common Sense. This book had a dramatic effect on the people convincing them in favor of the independence. Rush also helped Ratify the constitution because he served in the Pennsylvania convention. Rush was a strong believer in the principle of equality, and he wanted to abolish slavery. In the book titled “Visions of America” by Jennifer Keene it states, ” Women needed to be familiar with the political idea of republicanism” (136). This is why Benjamin Rush was championing female education so much. Rush believes that the American war that made us independent is over but the revolution is far from that. He thinks that the revolution is not just the war. Independence was not the only fact and cause for this revolution. Also he thinks the revolution is more than trying to get independence from Britain it about changes that haven’t happened and are struggling to. He was very important to making this amazing country we live in today.

In my opinion based on the American revolution, I believe that the American Revolution wasn’t very revolutionary and this is based on a couple reason I will talk about in the paragraph. First of all the same people or kind of people were in power in the colonies and later what became known as the United States. There was no actual real change in social relations. Women were still unequal as to men and sadly slavery still existed. Many different races, ethnicities, poor white Americans and females did not achieve their liberty from the new leadership after the American revolution. In the American revolution, what actually happened was the American colonist began to realize that their rights were being stripped from them and they started voicing their opinion, the British government were abusing many of their rights. So many years after the colonist people had spent many years trying to propose a compromise peacefully. When change didn’t take place wars/fights broke out which eventually lead the colonist to declare their independence and fought for their freedom. Just because the colonist received their independence doesn’t mean that this event was revolutionary. It’s not out of the ordinary for people to want to change and replace a type of government that is unfairly treating the people. What was designed and created after the revolutionary war was not too much different than what was created before the war, nothing dramatically changed or happened for the good. the definition of revolutionary is involving or causing a complete or dramatic change in which the American Revolution did not obtain even after the American war. The revolution did lead to some great accomplishments such as civil liberties enacted by the Founding Fathers that was based on axiological laws of nature and religious beliefs.

All in all, both John Adams and Benjamin Rush had different views and understandings of the American revolution. John Adams was a strong believer that the revolution happened before the actual war. Adams has suggested that the colonists has already mentally rebelled against the monarchy before the actual bloodshed. For Benjamin Rush his views explain that just because the war was over the revolution was far from that. Benjamin Rush interpretation can be justified that the revolution wasn’t over because there wasn’t any new form of government established and perfected after the American War. The articles of confederation clearly is an example of the failure. In my opinion the American revolution was not very revolutionary at all. There was no actual real change in social relations. What was designed and created after the American revolution wasn’t very different than what was accomplished before the wars, things generally stayed the same. Although John Adams and Benjamin Rush did not agree about when the revolution was over they did have similar views and agreeance with some of the stupid laws that the British opposed such as the tax tariffs and the Stamp Act.

Work Cited

Keene, Jennifer D., et al. Visions of America: a History of the United States. 3rd ed., vol. 1, Boston, Pearson, 2017.