Final answer:
President John Adams faced a Congress that was reluctant to act on his proposals for programs that would promote economic growth and innovation. His attempts at bipartisanship and political maneuvering gained little traction, resulting in Congress not advancing his legislative agenda.
Step-by-step explanation:
During the presidency of John Adams, it appears that the Congress was not particularly helpful in supporting his administrative agenda. Adams proposed ambitious federal programs to promote economic growth, including the establishment of a national university and an astronomical observatory. However, most members of Congress regarded his proposals as too audacious and contrary to the smaller government preference that was popular among the electorate at the time. As a result, none of his grandiose plans saw legislative action. Additionally, historic figures such as Henry Clay and Daniel Webster tried to drum up support for policies akin to Adams's through partisan newspapers and organizations, but these efforts did not sufficiently rally voter support for Adams against Andrew Jackson's opposing campaign for a smaller government.
Adams's administration faced additional challenges as he retained advisors from his predecessor, Washington, and dealt with a vice president from the opposition party, Thomas Jefferson. Attempts at bipartisanship, such as the potential inclusion of Jefferson in more direct roles within the administration, did not translate into effective policy influence or congressional action either. Furthermore, Adams's political maneuvers, like appointing a special minister to France, didn't find favor with Jefferson and others, leading to a lack of strong support within Congress.