If you’ve ever felt like your job was a total waste of time, you have something in common with one of the smartest guys to ever live. Most people can name George Washington as the first president without blinking. But who was the first vice president of United States? That honor—or burden, depending on who you ask—belongs to John Adams.
He hated it. Honestly, he really did.
Adams was a brilliant lawyer and a prickly intellectual who helped dream up the very idea of American independence. He wasn't exactly a "backup player" type of guy. So, when he found himself sitting in a fancy chair as the nation's first "number two," he didn't feel like a pioneer. He felt like he was stuck in a closet.
The Most Insignificant Office Ever Contrived
Imagine being John Adams. You’ve spent years in Europe negotiating treaties and securing the loans that literally kept the American Revolution alive. You come home, expecting a role that matches your massive ego and intellect. Instead, you get a job that the Constitution barely defines.
Adams famously called the vice presidency "the most insignificant office that ever the invention of man contrived or his imagination conceived." Short. Harsh. Accurate for the time.
Back then, the rules were weird. You didn’t run as a "ticket" like candidates do now. Each elector cast two votes for president. The winner got the top job, and the runner-up became the vice president. Washington was the unanimous choice with 69 votes. Adams came in second with 34.
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Getting less than half of Washington’s total was a huge blow to Adams' pride. It felt like a consolation prize. Plus, Alexander Hamilton had been working behind the scenes to make sure Adams didn't get too many votes, fearing a tie might mess things up. Adams found out and, predictably, he was livid.
A President of the Senate with Too Much to Say
Since the Constitution didn't give the VP much to do in the executive branch, Adams spent his days presiding over the Senate. This is where things got awkward.
Adams was a talker. He loved a good debate. But as the presiding officer, he was supposed to just... sit there. He wasn't a senator, so he wasn't allowed to join the arguments. Every time he tried to jump in and lecture the senators—which he did often—they basically told him to shut up.
They even gave him a nickname: "His Rotundity." It was a jab at his physical shape and his obsession with royal-sounding titles. Adams actually spent weeks arguing that George Washington should be called something like "His Highness, the President of the United States of America, and Protector of the Rights of the Same." The Senate thought he was being ridiculous. They settled on "Mr. President," and Adams was left looking like a man who missed the whole point of the Revolution he helped start.
Breaking Ties and Setting Precedents
Even though he felt sidelined, Adams was actually incredibly busy. Because the early Senate was small and often split right down the middle, he had to cast 29 tie-breaking votes.
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That’s a lot. For context, most VPs go their whole career with just a handful.
He used those votes to protect Washington's policies, especially regarding the economy and foreign neutralities. One of his most important votes was actually about the power to fire people. He voted against a bill that would have required the president to get Senate approval to fire a cabinet member.
Basically, Adams helped ensure the President actually had control over his own branch of government. Without that one vote, the presidency might look very different today.
The Cold Shoulder from Washington
You might think the first president and the first vice president were a "dynamic duo." They weren't.
Washington and Adams respected each other, but they weren't friends. Washington rarely asked Adams for advice. He didn't invite him to cabinet meetings. He didn't treat him like a partner.
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- Relationship Status: Cordial but distant.
- The Vibe: Washington was the "Atlas" carrying the world; Adams was the guy standing behind him holding the briefcase.
- The Conflict: Adams was jealous of the "demigod" status Washington had achieved.
It’s kind of sad, honestly. Adams had nominated Washington to lead the Continental Army years earlier. He felt like he had made Washington’s career possible, yet here he was, relegated to the "insignificant" office while Washington got all the parades.
Why John Adams Matters Now
So, who was the first vice president of United States in the grand scheme of history? He was the man who survived the "dead end" of American politics.
Before Adams, the office didn't exist. He had to figure out what a vice president even did. He proved that the runner-up could serve under the winner without the government collapsing (though that changed pretty quickly once Thomas Jefferson took the role).
If you want to understand the modern VP, you have to look at Adams' frustration. He showed that the office is only as powerful as the President allows it to be.
Actionable Insights from the First VP
- Focus on the Long Game: Adams hated the VP job, but he stayed for eight years. Why? Because it was the only clear path to the presidency. He eventually won the election of 1796.
- Precedent is Everything: Everything you do in a new role sets the floor for the person who comes after you. Adams established that the VP is the bridge between the Senate and the White House.
- Manage Your Ego: Adams' biggest failures came from his need for titles and recognition. When he stopped worrying about being called "His Highness" and focused on the work, he was actually quite effective.
If you find yourself in a "support" role today, remember Adams. He was the first to do it, he was miserable doing it, but he used that time to build the foundation for everything that came next.
Check out the National Archives or the Adams National Historical Park records if you want to see his actual letters from this time. They are full of complaints, but they're also full of the wisdom that built a country.
To get a better sense of how this role evolved, look into the 12th Amendment. It’s the reason we no longer have "runner-up" vice presidents, a change sparked by the messy elections that followed Adams’ tenure. You can also research the Jay Treaty, where Adams' support was crucial in preventing a second war with Britain while he was still in office.