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Primary sourceSpeech1797-1800

State of the Union Addresses by US Presidents, 1790-1816

John Adams · 1797-1800

A modern volunteer audio reading of early presidential State of the Union speeches, including two by John Adams.

Includes the texts of Adams's own State of the Union addresses to Congress as president, read here by a modern volunteer.

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State of the Union Addresses by United States Presidents, 1790-1816. LibriVox volunteer reading, public domain recording of the original texts; not Adams's own voice.

About this source

What it is

This is a LibriVox audio recording of the texts of early State of the Union addresses given by U.S. presidents between 1790 and 1816, including addresses delivered by John Adams in 1797 and 1800. The recording was made recently by volunteer readers and is not Adams's own voice.

Why it matters

The State of the Union address lets a president report on the nation's condition and outline plans to Congress. Adams's addresses show how he communicated with Congress as president, continuing a practice begun by George Washington.

Look closer

  • Why is it important to know this is a modern reading and not Adams's actual voice?
  • What topics might a president choose to highlight in a speech to Congress?
  • How might hearing a speech aloud change how you understand it compared to reading it silently?

This speech is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of John Adams on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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