Abigail Adams
Abigail Adams Dates: November 22 (11 old style), 1744 - October 28, 1818
Married October 25, 1764
Abigail Adams Known for: First Lady, financial manager, farm manager, letter writer
Also Known as: Abigail Smith Adams
About Abigail Adams: Wife of the second President of the United States, Abigail Adams is an
example of one kind of life lived by women in colonial, Revolutionary and early post-Revolutionary America.
While she's perhaps best known simply as an early First Lady (before the term was used) and mother of
another President, and perhaps known for the stance she took for women's rights in letters to her husband,
Abigail Adams should also be known as a competent farm manager and financial manager.
Educated at home, Abigail Adams learned quickly and read widely. Her marriage to John Adams was warm
and loving and also intellectually lively, to judge from their letters.
They had four children before John became involved in the Continental Congress. During his long absences,
Abigail managed the family and the farm and corresponded not only with her husband but with many family
members and friends. During the war, she also served as the primary educator of the children, including the
future sixth U.S. president, John Quincy Adams.
When John served in Europe as a diplomatic representative of the new nation, Abigail Adams joined him.
John Adams served as Vice President of the United States from 1789-1797 and then as President 17971801. Abigail spent some of her time at home, managing the family financial affairs, and part of her time in
the federal capital, in Philadelphia most of those years and, very briefly, in the new White House in
Washington, D.C. (November 1800 - March 1801).
After John retired from public life at the end of his presidency, the couple lived quietly in Massachusetts.
It is mostly through her letters that we know much about the life and personality of this intelligent and
perceptive woman of colonial America and the Revolutionary and post-Revolutionary period.
Abigail Adams died in 1818, seven years before her son, John Quincy Adams, became the sixth president of
the U.S.
Places: Massachusetts, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., United States
Organizations/Religion: Congregational, Unitarian
REMEMBER THE LADIES
Abigail Adams to John Adams
March 31, 1776
I long to hear that you have declared an independency, and by the way, in the new code of laws
which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make, I desire you would remember the ladies
...Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands. Remember all Men would be
tyrants if they could. If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to
foment a Rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or
Representation.
That your Sex are Naturally Tyrannical is a Truth so thoroughly established as to admit of no
dispute. But such of you as wish to be happy willingly give up the harsh title of master for the
more tender and endearing one of friend. ... Men of sense in all ages abhor those customs which
treat us only as the vassals of your sex.
VOCABULARY
independency: American independence from Great Britain
code of laws: Constitution
tyrants: mean spirited demanding leaders; dictators
foment a rebellion: start a revolt
Tyrannical: acting like a dictator
admit to no dispute: cannot be denied
endearing: pleasing
abhor: hate
vassals: slaves
QUESTIONS
1. This letter was written just a few months before the Second Continental Congress (which John
Adams was a member of) voted for independence from Great Britain. Abigail Adams knew her
husband was in favor of independence. Was Abigail Adams eager for independence from Great
Britain?
2. What does Abigail Adams hope will happen when independence from Great Britain is
declared?
3. What does Abigail Adams think about men?
4. What does Abigail Adams threaten to do if women are not given representation in the new laws
of the land?
5. What does Abigail Adams suggest husbands do if they want to be happy in their marriages?
John Adams to Abigail Adams
April 14, 1776
As to your extraordinary Code of Laws, I cannot but laugh. We have been told that our
Struggle [the rebellion against Great Britain] has loosened the bands of Government
everywhere. That Children and Apprentices were disobedient-that schools and Colleges
were grown turbulent-that Indians slighted their Guardians and Negroes grew insolent to
their Masters. But your Letter was the first intimation that another Tribe [women] more
numerous and powerful than all the rest [had] grown discontented.
... Depend upon it, we know better than to repeal our Masculine systems. We are obliged
to go fair, and softly, and in Practice, you know We are the subjects. We have only the
Name of Masters, and rather than give up this, which would completely subject Us to the
Despotism of the Petticoat, I hope General Washington, and all our brave Heroes would
fight....
VOCABULARY
extraordinary: amazing
loosen the bands of Government: lessened government control
Apprentices: children learning a trade
grown turbulent: become disorderly
slighted: disrespected
grew insolent: became rude
intimation: hint
grown discontented: became unhappy
repeal: do away with
Masculine systems: laws favoring men
subjects: people under the control of others
Despotism of the Petticoat: unfair rule of women
QUESTIONS
1. Does John Adams seem to take his wife's suggestions seriously?
2. What other groups, besides women, does John Adams claim are demanding more
freedoms from the government? What do these groups have in common with women?
3. From reading John Adams' letter, do you think he would fight hard for more rights for
women?
4. John Adams tells his wife Abigail that although the laws favor men, women are the
real masters and the men are the subjects. What do you think he means by this?
5. How do you think Abigail Adams felt when she read her husband's letter?
Abigail Adams to John Adams
May 7, 1776
I cannot say that I think you very generous to the Ladies, for whilst you are proclaiming
peace and good will to Men, Emancipating all Nations, you insist upon retaining an
absolute power over Wives. But you must remember that Arbitrary power is like most
other things which are very hard, very liable to be broken-and notwithstanding all your
wise Laws and Maxims we have it in our power not only to free ourselves but to subdue
our Masters, and without violence throw both your natural and legal authority at our
feet....
VOCABULARY
whilst: while
proclaiming: announcing
Emancipating: freeing
retaining: keeping
absolute: complete
Arbitrary: unreasonable
liable: likely
notwithstanding: in spite of
Maxims: rules
subdue: control
QUESTIONS
1. Does Abigail Adams appear to be pleased with her husband's views on women's
rights?
2. John Adams was on the committee to help write the Declaration of Independence. The
second paragraph of the Declaration of Independence, states that : "We hold these truths
to be self-evident: that all men are created equal...". Who do you think John Adams and
the other signers of the Declaration of Independence were referring to by "all men"? Do
you think they meant to include women? slaves? Indians?
3. Abigail Adams states in her letter that women have the power to control their masters
(husbands) without violence. What powers do you think she was referring to?