At the age of nine, he traveled with his father and older brother, John Quincy, to Europe, studying in Passy, Amsterdam, and Leiden.

In 1784, Abigail and Nabby moved to England to live with John Adams, who was working there at the time.

[citation needed] After graduating from Harvard College in 1789, he moved to New York City, where plans had been made for him to work in the legal office of Alexander Hamilton.

Hamilton was named Secretary of the Treasury and Adams moved to the law office of John Laurance to continue his studies.

[6] Adams was an alcoholic who engaged in extramarital relationships and made questionable financial decisions.

In a letter from Abigail to John Quincy after his death, she stated Adams died in New York City of "dropsy of the chest" or pleurisy.

In 2008, HBO presented the miniseries entitled John Adams based on the book by David McCullough.