Was John Adams agreed with the popular sovereignty?

Answer 1

John Adams did not fully embrace the concept of popular sovereignty as it would later be articulated in the context of the Civil War and the debates over slavery. While he believed in the importance of representative government and the consent of the governed, Adams was wary of direct democracy and the potential for mob rule. He supported a system that balanced popular input with checks and balances to protect minority rights and maintain order. Thus, while he valued the idea of government derived from the people's will, his interpretation leaned towards a more structured approach than pure popular sovereignty.