Abigail Smith was born on November 22,
1744, in Weymouth, Massachusetts. As a girl she studied the
books in her father's large library. Women could not go to college then, but Abigail received a good education at
home.
In 1759 Abigail met the young lawyer John Adams. They both liked reading, writing, and politics. They were married in 1764. Their home was a farm in Braintree, Massachusetts. They had five children: Abigail, John Quincy, Charles and Thomas.
John Adams' work kept him away from home much of the time. Abigail Adams stayed in touch with her husband and other family members by writing lots of letters. Her letters are full of her opinions on the important issues of the time. They also describe her and her husband’s activities and their love for each other. It is from these letters that we now know that Abigail played a significant role in her husband's career, particularly in running the family farm.
During the time when the American colonies began to fight for independence from Great Britain, Abigail wrote in favor of American independence. In March 1776, when her husband and his colleagues got ready to write and sign the Declaration of Independence, she asked him to “remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors.” This letter is evidence of her strong desire for women's rights especially a woman's right to education. In 1778 she wrote her husband that “you need not be told how much female education is neglected, nor how fashionable it has been to ridicule female learning.” Like her husband, she also believed that slavery had no place in a country dedicated to freedom.
In 1789 John Adams became the first vice president of the United States. Eight years later he became the second president. Even during those terms Abigail was often in Massachusetts running the family farm. In 1800, however, she moved with the president into the White House, which was unfinished at the time.
After Adams' term as president he and Abigail returned to Quincy and settled comfortably into retirement. Abigail died on October 28, 1818.
Bibliography
"Adams, Abigail." Britannica Elementary Encyclopedia. Encyclopedia Britannica Online School Edition. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2010. Web. 12 Nov. 2010 <http://school.eb.com/all/elementary/article?articleId=399918>.
In 1759 Abigail met the young lawyer John Adams. They both liked reading, writing, and politics. They were married in 1764. Their home was a farm in Braintree, Massachusetts. They had five children: Abigail, John Quincy, Charles and Thomas.
John Adams' work kept him away from home much of the time. Abigail Adams stayed in touch with her husband and other family members by writing lots of letters. Her letters are full of her opinions on the important issues of the time. They also describe her and her husband’s activities and their love for each other. It is from these letters that we now know that Abigail played a significant role in her husband's career, particularly in running the family farm.
During the time when the American colonies began to fight for independence from Great Britain, Abigail wrote in favor of American independence. In March 1776, when her husband and his colleagues got ready to write and sign the Declaration of Independence, she asked him to “remember the ladies and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors.” This letter is evidence of her strong desire for women's rights especially a woman's right to education. In 1778 she wrote her husband that “you need not be told how much female education is neglected, nor how fashionable it has been to ridicule female learning.” Like her husband, she also believed that slavery had no place in a country dedicated to freedom.
In 1789 John Adams became the first vice president of the United States. Eight years later he became the second president. Even during those terms Abigail was often in Massachusetts running the family farm. In 1800, however, she moved with the president into the White House, which was unfinished at the time.
After Adams' term as president he and Abigail returned to Quincy and settled comfortably into retirement. Abigail died on October 28, 1818.
Bibliography
"Adams, Abigail." Britannica Elementary Encyclopedia. Encyclopedia Britannica Online School Edition. Encyclopedia Britannica, 2010. Web. 12 Nov. 2010 <http://school.eb.com/all/elementary/article?articleId=399918>.