Abigail Adams – Biography & Facts

Where did Abigail Adams grow up?

Abigail Adams was born Abigail Smith in the small town of Weymouth, Massachusetts. At the time, the town was part of the British Massachusetts Bay Colony. His father, William Smith, was the pastor of the local church. She has one brother and two sisters.

Abigail Adams Overview:

Biography of Abigail Adams

Education of Abigail Adams:

Since Abigail is a girl, she has no formal education. Only boys attended school at this time in history. However, Abigail’s mother taught her to read and write. She also has access to her father’s library, where she can learn new ideas and educate herself.

Abigail is a smart girl who always wishes she could go to school. Her frustration at not being able to get a better education led her to advocate for women’s rights later in life.

Marrying John Adams:

Abigail was a young woman when she first met John Adams, a young country lawyer. John is a friend of Mary’s sister’s fiancé. Over time, John and Abigail discovered that they enjoyed the company of each other. Abigail liked John’s sense of humor and ambition. John was attracted to Abigail’s intelligence and wit.

In 1762, the couple became engaged. Abigail’s father likes John and thinks he’s the right person. However, his mother was not so sure. She thought Abigail could do better than a country lawyer. She didn’t know that one day John would become president! The wedding was delayed due to the smallpox epidemic, but the couple were finally married on October 25, 1763. Abigail’s father presided over the marriage.

Abigail and John have six children: Abigail, John Quincy, Susanna, Charles, Thomas and Elizabeth. Unfortunately, Susanna and Elizabeth died young, as was normal at the time.

Revolutionary War:

In 1768, the family moved from Braintree to the great city of Boston. Meanwhile, relations between the American and British colonies became strained. Events such as the Boston Massacre and the Boston Tea Party took place in the town where Abigail lived. John began to play an important role in the revolution. He was selected to attend the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. On April 19, 1775, the American Revolutionary War began with the Battle of Lexington and Concord.

Home Alone:

With John absent from the Continental Congress, Abigail had to take care of the family. She had to make all kinds of decisions, manage finances, take care of the farm, and educate her children. She also misses her husband very much because he has been gone for a very long time.

On top of that, much of the war happened nearby. Part of the Battle of Lexington and Concord took place only twenty miles from her home. Soldiers run away in her house, train soldiers in her yard, she even melts down supplies to make muskets for the soldiers.

During the Battle of Bunker Hill, Abigail was awakened by the sound of cannons. Abigail and John Quincy climbed a nearby hill to witness the Charlestown fire. At the time, she was caring for the child of a family friend, Dr. Joseph Warren, who died in battle.

Letters to John:

During the war, Abigail wrote many letters to her husband John about all that was going on. Over the years, they wrote more than 1,000 letters to each other. It is from these letters that we learn about the situation on the homeland front during the Revolutionary War.

After the War:

The war finally ended when the British surrendered at Yorktown on October 19, 1781. John was in Europe at the time and working for Parliament. In 1783, John missed Abigail so much that she decided to go to Paris. She took her daughter Nabby and went to see John in Paris. In Europe, Abigail met Benjamin Franklin, whom she disliked, and Thomas Jefferson, whom she liked. Soon after, the Adams family packed up and moved to London, where Abigail would meet the King of England.

In 1788 Abigail and John returned to America. John was elected Vice President under President George Washington. Abigail became good friends with Martha Washington.

First Lady:

John Adams was elected president in 1796 and Abigail became the first lady of the United States. She worries that people won’t like her because she’s too different from Martha Washington. Abigail has strong views on many political issues. She wondered if she had said the wrong thing and made everyone angry.

Despite her fears, Abigail did not give up her strong point of view. She was against slavery and believed in equal rights for all, including blacks and women. She also believes that everyone has the right to a good education. Abigail has always been a strong supporter of her husband and will definitely give him a woman’s perspective on issues.

Retirement of Abigail Adams:

Abigail and John retire to Quincy, Massachusetts and have a happy retirement. She died of typhoid on October 28, 1818. She did not live long enough to see her son, John Quincy Adams, become president.

Interesting Facts about Abigail Adams:

His cousin is Dorothy Quincy, wife of John Dorothy Quincy, wife of John Hancock’s biological father.

His childhood nickname was “Nabby”.

When she was First Lady, some called her Mrs. President because she has a lot of influence over John.

The only other woman with a husband and son during the presidency is Barbara Bush, wife of George H.W. Bush and the mother of George W. Bush.

In one of his letters, Abigail asked John to “remember the women”. This became a famous quote used by women’s rights leaders for years to come.

Abigail paved the way for future First Ladies to speak out and fight for the causes they deem important.