Abigail Adams Witness to the Revolution

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Abigail AdamsWitness to the Revolution

• 1744 - 1818

Abigail Adams by Benjamin Blythe 1766 Massachusett
s Historical Society
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Childhood

• Born in Weymouth, MA
• as Abigail Smith
• One of four children
• Loved to read and learn new things

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Education

• Educated at home with sisters self taught
• Highly motivated
• Surrounded by educated people and libraries
  filled with books
• Listened to adults talking about the issues of
  the time

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Young Adult

• 1759 meets John Adams
• 1761 courtship begins between the two
• 1764 John and Abigail marry

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Family Life
John and Abigail
John Quincy 1767-1848
Susanna Suky 1768-1770
Abigail Nabby 1765-1813
Charles Adams 1770-1800
Thomas Boylston 1772-1832
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A Tumultuous Time

• 1765 Stamp Act
• Repealed in 1766
• 1767 Townshend Act
• Repealed in 1770, except for tax on tea
• 1770 Boston Massacre
• 1773 Tea Act
• 1773 Boston Tea Party
• 1773 Intolerable Acts

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Stamp Act

• The skull and cross bones act as a warning
  against the Stamp Act.
• Published in the Pennsylvania Journal and
  Advertiser, it sarcastically suggests affixing
  this stamp on goods.

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Townshend Act

• This cartoon was made to show how tax collectors
  were thought of.
• In this cartoon a tax collector is tarred and
  feathered then tea is poured down his throat.

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Boston Massacre
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Tea Act

• Tax on tea was eliminated.
• Smugglers of tea in the colonies lost all their
  business which caused many to suffer economically.

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Boston Tea Party
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Intolerable Acts Coercive Acts Boston Port
Act
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Time Apart

• June 1774 John elected to First Continental
  Congress in PA
• September 5, 1774 FCC assembles
• June 22, 1775 Second Continental
  Congress meets
• July 4, 1776 Declaration of
  Independence is signed.
• February 1778 John and John Quincy
  sail to Europe

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Abigail AdamsforWomens Rights
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,
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. Letter from
Abigail to John Adams, March 31, 1776 The Adams
Papers, Massachusetts Historical Society
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(No Transcript)
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Abigail AdamsforAfrican American Rights
In reaction to a neighbor being upset with her
because she sent a young black servant to evening
school
The boy is a freeman as much as any of the young
men. And merely because his face is black is he
to be denied instruction? How is he to be
qualified to procure a livelihood? I have not
thought it any disgrace to myself to take him
into my parlour and teach him both to read and
write. Letter from Abigail to John Adams
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From the Heart
We have had a charming rain which lasted 12 hours
and has greatly revived the dying fruits of the
earth. I want much to hear from you. I long
impatiently to have you upon the Stage of action.
The first of September or the month of September,
perhaps may be of as much importance to Great
Britan as the Ides of March were to Ceaser. I
wish you every Publick as well, as private
blessing, and that wisdom which is profitable
both for instruction and edification to conduct
you in this difficult day.-The little flock
remember Pappa, and kindly wish to see him. So
does your most affectionate Abigail Adams
Letter from Abigail Adams to John Adams, 19
August 1774 Massachusetts Historical Society
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I would not have you be distressd about me.
Danger they say makes people valient. Heitherto I
have been distress'd, but not soar dismayed. I
have felt for my Country and her Sons, I have
bled with them, and for them. Not all the havock
and devastation they have made, has wounded me
like the death of Warren. We wanted him in the
Senate, we want him in his profession, we want
him in the field. We mourn for the citizen, the
senator, the  illegible physician and the
Warriour. May we have others raised up in his
room. Letter from Abigail Adams to John Adams, 5
July 1775 Massachusetts Historical Society
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Death of General Warren The Battle of Bunkers
Hill by John Trumbull, 1786 Museum of Fine Arts
Boston
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National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
John Adams By Gilbert Stuart 1800/1815
Abigail Adams by Gilbert Stuart 1800/1815
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Lover of liberty and great writer of letters,
Abigail did all she could to guide her young
country toward freedom. She fought for freedom
from England, freedom from slavery, and freedom
from the inequality of women suffered in their
lifetime. Abigail would be proud to see how
these freedoms have developed in the country she
helped found. -Diane Silcox-Jarrett