This Saturday marks the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord, which ignited the American Revolution. And, since this single day also marks the beginning of the military path that led us to July 4, 1776, it’s worth reflecting on the unparalleled contributions to American independence and democracy that came from one family: the Adams family. Without their involvement, it is quite possible we would still be under British rule.

The Adams family — John, Abigail, and their descendants, including the nation’s sixth president, John Quincy Adams — embodied the intellectual fortitude and moral courage that defined America’s founding era. Their determination and service to God, country, and family were instrumental in the American Revolution. John Adams, a son of a farmer who attended Harvard on a scholarship, was a circuit lawyer.