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Did a Pool Table Cost John Quincy Adams the 1828 Presidential Election?
A member of American political royalty was embroiled in scandal over a billiard table he purchased for himself and set up at the White House
Politicians walk a precarious line when executing their duties in office. Naturally, they have to do what they think is right, both morally and for the sake of their constituents, but they also have to remain in favor with enough people to maintain their position. Sometimes the slightest thing can contribute to an elected officials downfall. Perhaps nobody knows this better than the sixth American President, John Quincy Adams, whose failed bid for a second term may have been thwarted in part because of a pool table.
Born in 1767, Quincy Adams was the son of Abigail and John Adams; his father serving as the second American President, who took office right after George Washington’s second term in 1797. Due to being from a prominent family, he was exposed to a rare level of travel and education for the time. Graduating from Harvard, he obtained a degree in law and later hung his shingle up in Boston, gradually becoming individually successful.
After establishing his law practice, Quincy Adams moved on to a successful political career, serving as…
