John Adams himself predicted that he would not be remembered on the same level as Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and George Washington, but he is in his own way the most important "founding father" of all. Without him, we would have had no push for independence. Indeed, much of the vision of the United States came from the uncanny prescience of this amazing man. He staunchly defended the rights of ALL Americans, regardless of race or creed. Had we listened to Adams, we'd have avoided the Civil War which he himself predicted in his writings. His wife Abigail was his closest confidant and advisor. They would read books together and discuss them. He counted her opinion "among the best of recommendations". Adams was fluent in languages, was author of the Massachusetts Constitution on which the US Constitution is based, and while he may well have been "obnoxious and disliked", he was so because he did not back down from those things he felt to be right - namely life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for ALL Americans..