The quality of the American character, the structure of American society, and the meaning of America's historical experience all had important implications for John Adams' political thought. Professor Howe explores the relationships that developed between the satisfactions of Adam's life and Adams' outlook on American society. He concludes that as Adams' understanding of the American character and its values changed, so did his evaluation of American society and its political problems. Originally published in 1966. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.