John Adams (1735–1826) was a highly educated and enlightened lawyer who became a central figure in the American Revolution. As a political theorist he influenced the constitutions of the former British colonies in America, and he is regarded, with Jefferson, as the father of the United States Constitution. First published in 1850–6, this collection brings together Adams' major writings. Given their influence not only on the United States, but also on other republics, Adams' works rank among the most important political writings of their time. Volume 7 contains papers and correspondence dating from Adams' dispatch to France in 1777 up to his success in negotiating a treaty with Britain in 1782. They provide a fascinating glimpse into the world of eighteenth-century diplomacy, and at the efforts to gain international recognition for the newly-independent United States.