President John Adams

Sequels are always hit and miss. So what must it have been like to be the second President of the United States, following the man who originated the role?

This was John Adams' position, stepping into the shoes of fellow founding father George Washington. To find out about how Adams navigated his presidency and the diplomatic crises that arose during it, Don spoke to Christopher Young.

Chris is a Professor of History at Indiana University Northwest and, among his many publications, wrote “Serenading the President: John Adams, the XYZ Affair, and the 18th-Century American Presidency” for Federal History.

This is the second episode of our new series on American History Hit in which, every two weeks, Don and an expert will explore the presidencies of the US' former Commanders-in-Chief.

Produced by Sophie Gee. Edited by Siobhan Dale. Senior Producer was Charlotte Long.

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