Episode 10: Cleanliness with John Quincy Adams

By the end of his life, John Quincy Adams was an ardent opponent of slavery, earning the nickname “Old Man Eloquent” for his fierce advocacy in the House of Representatives. In this episode, Jeffrey Rosen, Professor David Waldstreicher and filmmaker Ken Burns unpack how this son of the Revolution became Congress’s primary enemy of slavery.

Now that you’ve learned that the pursuit of happiness means being good, not feeling good, how has that affected your daily life? Send a voice message with your thoughts on this question and we may even include excerpts in our final episode.

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Donate Pursuit: The Founders’ Guide to Happiness is made possible with support from the John Templeton Foundation. © 2025 National Constitution Center. All Rights Reserved.