Abigail Adams: Revolutionary American Woman

Abigail Adams was the prominent daughter of William Smith who was a minster and the daughter of Elizabeth Quincy. She was born November 11, 1744, Abigail was the second child out of four children. In the first nineteen years of her life, she was unschooled. Abigail found comfort in attempting to read books from her father's church. Abigail was encouraged by her parents to read, so her father builds a library on the opposite side of the home. Books were limited during that time. Abigail Adams and her siblings Mary, William, and Betsy grew up in Massachusettes. Growing up Abigail and her family had two black slaves as servants. Black slaves were called servants so it would not appear to be so dehumanizing. The Smith family raised their children to be courteous, respect the Lord and respect thy neighbor. As a child, Abigail was close to her grandparents especially her grandmother. She believed in faith at the age of fifteen Abigail and her sisters accepted their first communion voluntarily and cheerful. On the other hand, William whom the family referred to a Billy was a disappointment to the Smith and Quincy family. The Smith girls grew up and Mary the eldest daughter married Richard Cranch a thirty-six-year-old Englishman in 1762. Richard was an energetic fun-loving man. Richard Cranch introduced Smith’s girls to books and literature. He was a remarkable teacher. Once Mary’s husband introduced Abigail to a world of literature she began to read Shakespeare, Thomson and Milton Pope books. Her favorite author was James Thomson. She liked poetry. Abigail also enjoyed reading the bible and anything that promoted women's equality. She also favored Samuel Richardson because he wrote about being sensitive to women, sex, marriage, and the importance of educating a woman. At the age of seventeen, Abigail has concerns about marriage and will find a gentle husband like her sister Mary. In the year 1759 Abigail meet John he was a country lawyer.

John Adams was a twenty-six-year-old virgin from Braintree. John Adams was a lawyer who graduated from Harvard in 1755. John Adams's father was disappointed in him because of his religious beliefs and John closed all doors in becoming a minister. John Adams also taught school until he took his bar exam in 1758. John Adams had known Abigail and her family for quite some time. Adams was a close friend of Richard Cranch. Both men were love-struck by Hannah Quincy. Hannah was Abigail and Mary’s second cousin. John Adams was first smitten by Hanna and wanted to ask her for her hand in marriage. John was in the process of asking Hannah for her hand in marriage. Right before John was about to propose to Hannah someone interrupted the proposal by walking in the room. Later John would admit that he was thankful he did not marry Hannah. John and Abigail had known each other since Abigail was fifteen years old. John Adams was always in the presence of the Quincy family because of Richard Cranch, Dr, Tufts who’s Abigail and Mary’s uncle, and Colonel Quincy. Abigail’s mother was hesitant and had concerns about John Adams. William smith trusted John. In the year 1761, John Adams began looking at Abigail differently. John developed strong feelings for Abigail. Abigail was different and unique in her way and John Adams liked that about her. Abigail accompanied John to attend a court session in 1763 and by that winter John and Abigail would be preparing for a fall wedding. The happy couple married on October 25, 1764, in Weymouth one month before her twentieth birthday. The couple was married by Abigail’s father in the Smith’s home. John Adams was five days short from turning twenty-ninth birthday. Abigail and John were virgins when they married. Soon after Abigail would become pregnant with her their first child a premature baby girl they called Nabby on the morning of July 14, 1765. In 1766 Abigail knew she was pregnant again. With John being a traveling lawyer he was frequently out of the home. Abigail found comfort in reading books to her child and unborn baby. She was ashamed of her writing because she did not want people to know how bad her spelling. When Abigail would write a letter she would ask people to trash the letters Letters were very important to Abigail because books were limited and letters allowed her to explore and experience how she feels. She would feel free to express herself better in a letter than in person. Abigail wrote to her sister Mary a lot. She would also write to her new friend Mercy Otis Warren. Abigail wrote letters to family and friends. Abigail said that her pen was her only friend. She would give birth to her second child on July 11, 1767. She gave birth to a son and named him John Quincy Adams after her ailing grandfather.

Mrs. Adam's grandfather John Quincy needed to baptize his grandson before his death. The grandfather was successful in baptizing his grandson but expired two days later after the birth. Abigail and John Adams would have five living children and one deceased child. Susanna died at thirteen months old in 1768, so now Mr. And Mrs. Adams had Nabby, John Quincy, Charles, and Thomas Boylston and Elizabeth. John Adams moved his family to Boston so they could be with him. John Adams was a successful lawyer and he was always absent from home. After the birth of all her children, John was elected to the White House. Abigail was the first presidential wife to live in the White House in the eighteen hundred. Abigail was depressed because she missed her sister Mary and John was always working and had little time with his family. Abigail was very supportive of her husband and his career. In Boston, Adams rented the White House that was located in Brattle Square. The home faced the waterfront and Abigail could look down at the waterfront. John was elected to the Massachusetts assembly when the resistance movement was critical. John would always confide in his wife and get her opinions on certain cases. John Adams valued his wife's opinions even though she did not have a public voice. Women were not allowed to do public speakings or vote during this time, so her advice was priceless to her husband. John Adams appreciated his wife's intelligence. Throughout their marriage, Abigail was left home to maintain the house, children, and servants. Abigail wrote letters to her husband and kept a diary. They both keep a diary and wrote about their daily lives. Mail was the only method for staying in touch with members that do not live near. John Adams, often he wouldn’t write back and if he did his response was vague. Throughout the years of marriage, Abigail shared her husband’s quest for prominence. Abigail took a large role in politics. Giving her the nickname your heinous or Mrs. President Address women's rights, slavery with advanced thoughts on many issues. She shared the farming of their property Abigail became a political figure after her husband was elected President. She wrote to her husband reminding him to not forget about the ladies because they too wanted equal rights. Women wanted the right to vote, read, and work. She wanted to end slavery for all enslaved people and wanted women educated. Thomas Jefferson was the third president of the United States owning over 200 slaves. Jefferson had a plan to organize territories in the North. Thomas Jefferson owned slaves until his death. Jefferson proposed a plan that would free slaves if born after a certain date. Jefferson suggested that African American children be purchased from the government for $12.50 and send slaves to Santo Domingo. Even though Jefferson spoke of freeing African Americans maintained and keep all his slaves until his death.

Mrs. Adams was against anything that was unjustified and unrighteous. Set slaves free and treat all people with dignity and respect is what Mr. and Mrs. Adams desired for the United States. The war ended slavery in December of 1865. While John was president of the United States she wrote to her husband reminding him about the tyranny of men. Men should take care and pay close attention to the ladies, unlike their forefathers. Women demanding a voice and wanted to be heard and Abigail Adams wanted those words to register in her husband's head as he makes decisions for the United States. Abigail argued that women were treated as servants to men. Abigail advised her husband that arbitrary power is like most other things that are hard. Mrs. Adams would become an important figure in today’s society because she was an advocate for women's equality, education and women's health.

References

• “Abigail Adams: A Revolutionary American Woman by Charles W. Akers.” Goodreads. Goodreads, June 1, 2006. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/152494.Abigail_Adams.