Any discussion of important American Revolutionary War Women would be incomplete without information on Abigail Adams; who was the wife of John Adams the second president of the United States of America and a founding father. As you will see in the list of facts below she was much more than just the wife of a famous man. She contributed directly and in many important ways to the American colonists fight for independence from Great Britain; which even included producing ammunition for the troops. Kids and adults alike should find the list of facts below interesting and educational.
Abigail Adams Interesting Facts
Abigail Adams, whose maiden name was Abigail Smith, was born on November 22nd 1744.
Her husband's involvement in politics meant he was frequently gone from home. During the American Revolution she was often left in charge of all the household responsibilities which not only included raising their children but also handling business dealings such as purchasing land, selling crops, and tenant interactions.
Abigail Adams became the First Lady of the U.S. in March of 1801; she was 52 years old.
She was the 1st First Lady to live in the newly built White House (originally called the President's House) in Washington DC.
Her son John Quincy Adams was the sixth President of the United States.
Women during the American Revolutionary War era did not generally participate in politics; Abigail Adams was very politically active and while in the White House was referred to by some as "Mrs. President"
She was a strong believer in women's rights. In fact she wrote to the Continental Congress, as they worked on forming the United States government, to "remember the ladies". She spoke about equal representation for women and how women should not be governed by laws that they had no representation in creating; the same grievances the colonist had against Britain that led to the American Revolutionary War.
She supported the fight for the abolition of slavery which she believed to be evil and a threat to democracy.
Abigail Adams was a remarkable woman. She lived in an era where women were generally uneducated. However she was self-educated and very knowledgeable in my subject areas including politics, literature, history, and philosophy. Her many correspondences to her well educated husband show she was at least his intellectual equal.
She died of typhoid fever on October 28th of 1818 in her home in Quincy, Massachusetts.
John and Abigail Adams Facts
John Adams and Abigail were third cousins and knew each other from childhood.
John Adams and Abigail were married on October 25th of 1764. They had six children together.
As the wife of John Adams who was the first Vice President and second President of the U.S. she is the first Second Lady and second First Lady of the United States.
Over the years together John and Abigail wrote over 1,000 letters to each other. These letters document their fond relationship and the importance John put on her political point of view.
John Adams respected his wife and valued her opinion on political matters. Their numerous letters to each other, filled with discussions on political matters, clearly shows she played an important role in the many political decisions made by John from before the outbreak of the American Revolution and throughout his presidency.