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Quick Facts
- NAME: Abigail Adams
- OCCUPATION: U.S. First Lady
- BIRTH DATE: November 11, 1744
- DEATH DATE: October 28, 1818
- PLACE OF BIRTH: Weymouth, Massachusetts
- Maiden Name: Abigail Smith
Best Known For
Abigail Adams was the wife of President John Adams and the mother of John Quincy Adams, who became the sixth president of the United States.
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Abigail Adams - Mini Biography
A short biography on Abigail Adams who served as unofficial adviser to her husband, President John Adams.
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Play NowAbigail Adams. (2013). The Biography Channel website. Retrieved 07:09, May 21, 2013, from http://www.biography.com/people/abigail-adams-9175670.
Abigail Adams. [Internet]. 2013. The Biography Channel website. Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/abigail-adams-9175670 [Accessed 21 May 2013].
"Abigail Adams." 2013. The Biography Channel website. May 21 2013, 07:09 http://www.biography.com/people/abigail-adams-9175670.
"Abigail Adams," The Biography Channel website, 2013, http://www.biography.com/people/abigail-adams-9175670 [accessed May 21, 2013].
"Abigail Adams," The Biography Channel website, http://www.biography.com/people/abigail-adams-9175670 (accessed May 21, 2013).
Abigail Adams [Internet]. The Biography Channel website; 2013 [cited 2013 May 21] Available from: http://www.biography.com/people/abigail-adams-9175670.
Abigail Adams, http://www.biography.com/people/abigail-adams-9175670 (last visited May 21, 2013).
Abigail Adams. The Biography Channel website. 2013. Available at: http://www.biography.com/people/abigail-adams-9175670. Accessed May 21, 2013.
Synopsis
Throughout President John Adams’ career, his wife, Abigail Adams, served as an unofficial adviser to him, and their letters show him seeking her counsel on many issues, including his presidential aspirations. Adams remained a supportive spouse and confidante after her husband became the president in 1797, and her eldest son, John Quincy, would become president 7 years after her death in 1825.
Quotes
"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."
"All Men would be tyrants if they could."
Early Life
Former first lady, writer. Born Abigail Smith on November 11, 1744, (by the Gregorian calendar we use today) in Weymouth, Massachusetts. Abigail Adams is best known as the wife of President John Adams and for her extensive correspondence. She was also the mother of John Quincy Adams who became the sixth president of the United States. The daughter of a minister, she was a devoted reader, studying the works of William Shakespeare and John Milton among others. Adams did not, however, attend school, which was common for girls at the time.
In 1761, she met a lawyer named John Adams. Three years later, the couple married and soon welcomed their first child, a daughter named Abigail, in 1765. Their family continued to grow with the addition of John Quincy in 1767, Susanna in 1768, Charles in 1770, and Thomas Boylston in 1772. Sadly, Susanna died as a toddler and later the family suffered another tragedy when Abigail delivered a stillborn daughter in 1777.
Marriage to John Adams
With a busy law practice, her husband spent a lot of time away from home. This situation only worsened as John Adams became an active member of the American Revolution and the Revolutionary War. As a result, the couple spent a lot of time apart. She was also left to carry much of the burden at home, raising their children and caring for the family farm. The couple remained closed by corresponding with each other. It is believed that they exchanged more than 1,100 letters.
Abigail Adams expressed concern about how the new government would treat women. In one of her many letters to her husband, she requested that he “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. Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. If perticuliar care and attention is not paid to the Laidies we are determined to foment a Rebelion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation.” Odd spellings aside, Abigail Adams often expressed her thoughts on political matters with her husband. Throughout his career, Abigail had served an unofficial advisor to him. Their letters show him seeking her counsel on many issues, including his presidential aspirations.
After the revolution, Abigail Adams joined her husband in France and later in England where he served as the first American minister to the Court of St. James from 1785 to 1788. When her husband became vice president the next year, Abigail Adams stayed with her husband in the capitol for only part of the time, often returning to Massachusetts to look after their farm and to tend other business matters.
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Abigail and John Adams
View groupDuring their courtship and marriage, John Adams and Abigail Smith Adams exchanged over 1,100 letters, many filled with intellectual discussions on government and politics considered an invaluable account of the Revolutionary War. Abigail, a fierce advocate of rights for women and African-Americans, was an important partner throughout John's political career. The couple lived on a farm in Quincy, Massachusetts, where they raised five children. Abigail died in 1818; John died in 1826, 16 months after their son, John Quincy Adams, was sworn in as the sixth President of the United States.
Abigail and John Adams 2 people in this group
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Influential Women of Washington
View groupWhen the 19th Amendment was ratified, women were finally given the right to vote, and over the years many courageous women have stepped onto the national political stage as well. In 1916, Jeannette Rankin became the first woman elected to Congress and almost a century later Sonia Sotomayor became the first Latina woman to serve on the Supreme Court. And within the last two decades, the esteemable Hillary Clinton has served as First Lady, a New York senator and Secretary of State. These women, and many more, are setting the stage for the future of female leaders in Washington.
Visit Biography.com's Women's History group to explore more biographies, photos and videos of some the world's most fascinating women."
Influential Women of Washington 73 people in this group
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U.S. First Ladies
View groupThe wives of U.S. presidents are often important American figures in their own right. Although they have no official responsibilities, first ladies are a highly visible part of U.S. government. The role of the first lady has evolved over the centuries, from hostess of the White House to advocates for public policy. Learn about the different causes first ladies like Eleanor Roosevelt, Betty Ford, Nancy Reagan, Hillary Clinton, and Michelle Obama have championed over the years, from literacy to addiction to health care reform.
U.S. First Ladies 45 people in this group
