Abigail Adams

Very few women can claim a lasting mark in history. From the formation of the United States up to recent decades, women have remained in the background of historical events. In the 1800s particularly, a woman's place was in the home, where she cared for her family and domestic duties. Not only were women not allowed to own property, they were considered the property of their husband. As a result, men had a tendency to be tyrannical with their wives. However, there was one man who stifled his authoritative urges toward his wife, out of profound and impassioned love for her. John Adams had an intense love for his wife, Abigail Smith Adams, which transcended cultural and political norms of the time. In turn, Abigail Adams's undying love for her husband propelled him into greatness and helped canonize the Adams name. Revealing endearing qualities contributed to the transformed Abigail Adams from a common woman to a heroine.

One significant contribution, for which Abigail Adams is noted, was her personally documented history. She recorded battles and events during The Revolutionary War and The War of 1812 as personal recollections that bring them to life for her readers (Whitney, 105). It was this passion for acquiring and sharing knowledge that compelled her to read and write excessively. Although it was uncommon for women to be educated, Abigail's intelligence and striking political opinions did not go unnoticed by John Adams. Therefore, upon meeting Abigail, he was immediately struck by her intellect and lively expression of opinions (Whitney, 14). Of course, her high intellect made her such a sweet companion for John (Whitney, 29). Then, her intelligence and love of writing also helped keep their love alive during long separations, as Abigail wrote long love letters to her husband when he was away on political duties. These letters numbered in the thousands and became a chronicle of life in the 1800s, as she wrote down her experiences and feelings in letters to her beloved, which he insisted she preserve (Whitney, 155).

Abigail's intense love for her family motivated her to maintain a stable and orderly home for the children while their father was away. One way she was able to do this was by educating the Adams children at home. Since there were five children born to John and Abigail, though one died in infancy, this was no easy task. However, John recognized that this was not only one of her chief duties, but a way of moving beyond the sorrow that her separation from him was causing her, when he said, "It should be your care and mine to elevate the minds of our children and exalt their courage; to accelerate and animate their industry and activity; to excite in them contempt of meanness, injustice and inhumanity, and an ambition to excel...if we allow their minds to grovel and creep in infancy, they will grovel all their lives (Whitney, 114)." As a result, Abigail's supreme intellect inspired her children, who were also very smart, to love learning, and grow up to become leaders in their time. For instance, though Abigail did not live to see it, her eldest son, John Quincy Adams, eventually became president of the United States of America (Whitney, 326).

Abigail's staunch support of her husband's career influenced several of his decisions (Fields). Even if John Adams did not openly promote her suggestions when he felt it was not in the country's best interest, Abigail stood by her husband and publicly agreed with him. Certainly, her love was stronger than her pride, and his love for her was equally reciprocated. Although women could not vote or participate in politics, John held such esteem for his wife and respect for her political opinions that he did not "scorn to share with her a man's world (Whitney, 30)." Even though, she perpetual supported his career, allowed him the freedom to travel around the world in the advancement of the nation's stability, knowing full well that he had a warm home, eager for his return, and that his children were in good hands. Of course, this freed him from some anxiety, despite the fact that he sorely missed his wife and children. Those transatlantic missions, by men such as John Adams in the early years of the United States, proved to be monumental for the nation. Therefore, women, like Abigail, "kept the home fires burning" and did what they could on the home front to show their patriotism by providing necessities for soldiers, in the form of blankets, food, and belting utensils for ammunition (Whitney, 100). Backed by Abigail, John's dedication to the welfare of the nation won him the honored position as the second president of the United States.

By all rights, Abigail was an advocate for women's rights and the rights of slaves as well (Adams, 1). By way of her husband, she often made her voice known on public matters and often petitioned for equal liberty. After all, who better who be the voice, than a respected, strong-willed person. One such favor Abigail is famous for asking her husband, is for his in the new code of laws to "Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favourable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands (Adams, 2)." She firmly believed women to be equal to men "if only they were educated to the same degree." In one of her letters discussing this issue, she wrote, "If man is Lord, woman is Lordess, that is what I contend for, and if a woman does not hold the reins of government, I see no reason for her judging how they are conducted (Fields, 2)." In another letter to her husband, written shortly before the instituting of the Declaration of Independence, she attempted to persuade him away from slavery by the words, "Liberty cannot be Equally Strong in the Breasts of those who have been accustomed to deprive their fellow creatures of theirs. Of this I am certain that it is not founded upon that generous and Christian principal of doing to others as we would that others should do unto us (Adams, 1)."

The desire and motivation for excellence distinguished Abigail Adams from the other women in her community. At the time, she was a common woman dealing with fears from her husband's absence, serious illnesses affecting her family, and political conflicts causing unrest in the town. There were many women, living in the vicinity of Abigail Adams, experiencing many of the same events and fears. Like them, Abigail was a homemaker, wife, and mother. However, the name Abigail Adams stands out of the others. She is known to all as the wife of one and mother of another president of the United States. However, to those who knew her personally, or learned of her personal life in later years through the pages of her loving letters, she was more than that. As a loving, intelligent, outspoken woman ahead of her times, she was adored by those who knew her.

While most men viewed their spouse as an object, John Adams cherished his as an endearing friend (Adams, 2). Thomas Jefferson was honored to consider Abigail a close friend, as he points out in a letter to her after the death of her daughter, for whom Abigail had affection. He told her, " I ... am thankful for the occasion furnished me of expressing my regret that circumstances should arisen which have seemed to draw a line of separation between us. The friendship with which you honored me has ever been valued, and fully reciprocated (Whitney, 307)." Although living in the 1800s did not allow for much advancement by women, as the strong woman she was, Abigail's efforts elevated her and her family's name in people's hearts as well as the history books. However, she did not arrogantly work in the interest of that goal. It was her unselfish devoted to her husband, her family, and the newly founded nation that truly made Abigail Adams a lady remembered.