30. An American President’s Weird Belief
Just like his father, America’s second president John Adams, John Quincy Adams was a brilliant man. Before he became president, John Quincy had been an outstanding diplomat – perhaps America’s best diplomat ever. His accomplishments included a stint as ambassador to Russia, and serving in the delegation that negotiated an end to the War of 1812. John Quincy Adams also served as Secretary of State, in which capacity he negotiated America’s acquisition of Florida, and played a key role in drafting the Monroe Doctrine.
John Quincy Adams also served in both the US House of Representatives and the US Senate, and became one of the early leading opponents of slavery. However, while clearly an intelligent man, Adams had some blind spots. One such was his belief in the Hollow Earth Theory – a theory considered weird to the point of ludicrousness even in his own time.
