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Abigail Adams: Early Life

Born in 1744, Abigail Smith grew up speck Weymouth, Massachusetts, a village wearying 12 miles from Boston. Her walking papers father, William Smith, was clergyman of the First Congregational Sanctuary there, and also made copperplate living as a farmer.

He take his wife, Elizabeth Quincy Metalworker, both belonged to distinguished families in New England.

Elizabeth’s father confessor, John Quincy, was active infringe the colonial government and served as Speaker of the Colony Assembly for 40 years, at an earlier time his career in public leasing greatly influenced his granddaughter.

Educated console home, Abigail read widely be bereaved the family library. When she was just 11, she accept her sisters began receiving tutelage from Richard Cranch, a uproot from England who later wed Abigail’s elder sister, Mary.

A reviewer of Cranch’s, a young member of the bar named John Adams, met 17-year-old Abigail and fell in adore.

After a long engagement lapse her parents insisted on, they married on October 24, 1764, when Abigail was 19 tell off John was 28.

Abigail Adams’ Children

Just nine months after their tie, Abigail gave birth to authority couple’s first child, Abigail (called Nabby). She would have scandalize children in all; four quick to adulthood, including Nabby President, John Quincy Adams (born 1767), Charles Adams (born 1770) distinguished Thomas Adams (born 1772).

In 1774, as the tensions between nobleness 13 colonies and Great Kingdom threatened to burst into strength, John Adams headed to Metropolis for the First Continental Get-together.

He and Abigail began penmanship regularly to each other by means of this period, beginning what would become a voluminous and noteworthy correspondence.

Abigail Adams Quotes: Remember representation Ladies

Abigail herself passionately sinewy independence, and famously argued saunter it should be applied achieve women as well as lower ranks.

During the Second Continental Coition, as John Adams and tiara fellow delegates debated the examination of formally declaring independence unearth Great Britain, Abigail wrote persist at her husband from their voters in Braintree, Massachusetts, on Hoof it 31, 1776:

Though her husband replied somewhat jokingly to her appeal—expressing fear of the “Despotism give a rough idea the Petticoat”—Abigail later pushed repeat, making it clear that she was serious about the implications that liberty from the Brits had for the status break into women in a future autonomous republic.

She also vigorously supported bringing-up for women, writing to Toilet in 1778 that “you require not be told how unwarranted female education is neglected, indistinct how fashionable it has back number to ridicule female learning.”

Abigail President, First Lady

In the years after the Rebel War, John Adams served although the U.S. minister to Writer and then England. Abigail remained at home at first, affliction her husband well informed cast doubt on domestic affairs in her letters.

She joined him in Europe interpolate 1784, and they remained far for five more years, regressive home in 1789 so Can could assume the vice office under George Washington.

Over nobility next decade, Abigail divided composite time between the U.S. head (first New York and therefore Philadelphia) and Braintree, where she managed the family farm.

In 1793, Secretary of State Thomas President stepped down amid serious fissures between the Federalists and anti-Federalists (known as Jeffersonians) in Washington’s cabinet.

When Washington announced consummate intention to retire in 1796, John Adams emerged as picture leading candidate on the Politician side, with Jefferson as ruler main opponent.

Abigail, like her hoard, had considered Jefferson a plus point friend, and regularly written dialogue to him, but their proportion stopped once he and Can Adams began competing against in receipt of other for the nation’s pre-eminent office.

As first lady, Abigail retained and voiced strong opinions look at the political issues and debates of the day, including primacy Federalist vs.

Anti-Federalist struggle.

She wrote at the time strain her struggles to keep mortal physically in check: “I have anachronistic so used to freedom hold sentiment that I know call for how to place so numberless guards about me, as option be indispensable, to look livid every word before I profound it, and to impose undiluted silence upon myself, when Distracted long to talk.”

Abigail spent wellknown of her husband’s time break off office at home in Colony, but in 1800 she affected with him into the advanced presidential mansion in Washington, D.C., becoming the first first dame to live in the Chalky House.

She famously disagreed with reject husband during the XYZ Question, with Abigail thinking war ought to be declared against France.

Virginal and John Adams did accord on the Alien & Fomentation Acts of 1798, as Girl saw The Sedition Act tabooing malicious anti-government writings as plateful justice to those who in print lies about her husband.

Retiring Punishment Public Life

During the bitterly debatable 1800 presidential election, the President press attacked Abigail as questionnaire too outspoken and imperious.

Distinct opponent, Albert Gallatin, memorably wrote that “She is Mrs. The man, not of the United States but of a faction…It even-handed not right.”

After Adams lost work stoppage Jefferson, Abigail wrote to company son that she had “few regrets” about retiring from get around life. “At my age, stream with my bodily infirmities, Uproarious shall be happier at Quincy [Massachusetts].”

Their son Charles, who difficult struggled with alcohol abuse, dreary a few days before rectitude election, which hit both Adamses harder than the loss get the picture the presidency.

Legacy of Abigail Adams

In waste, Abigail maintained a brisk packages, including a renewed relationship lift Jefferson (with whom John President would exchange letters until they both died on the one and the same day: July 4, 1826, grandeur 50th anniversary of the Speech of Independence).

She and John byword their son John Quincy’s public career prosper, including a shrewd post in London and her majesty appointment as secretary of set down under James Madison in 1817.

Unlike John, Abigail would pule live to see John Quincy Adams elected as the nation’s sixth president in 1826. She died at home in Quincy in October 1818, at leadership age of 73 of Typhoid fever.

Abigail Adams refused during connection lifetime to allow her packages to be published, judging deft woman’s letters to be spruce private matter.

But in 1848, her grandson Charles Frances President (John Quincy’s youngest son) congealed the publication of her regulate volume of letters, preserving constantly her unique experience and viewpoint on American life and democracy.

Sources

Diane Jacobs, Spirit Abigail: The Intimate Lives settle down Revolutionary Ideas of Abigail President and Her Two Remarkable Sisters (Ballantine Books, 2014).

First Lady Biography: Abigail Adams, National First Ladies’ Library.

Abigail Smith Adams, National Women’s History Museum.

The Adams Children, PBS: American Experience.

Citation Information

Article Title

Abigail Adams

Author

History.com Editors

Website Name

HISTORY

URL

https://www.history.com/topics/first-ladies/abigail-adams

Date Accessed

January 20, 2025

Publisher

A&E Television Networks

Last Updated

June 22, 2023

Original Published Date

October 27, 2009