The Voice of Abigail Adams: The Second First Lady Influenced the Politics of a New Nation without Ever Holding Office

Anderson, Amy, Success

A bigail Adams was a voice for women's rights, abolition and independence at a time when most women's voices were silent. As wife to the second U.S. president and mother to the sixth, she had a profound effect on the burgeoning nation.

Born Abigail Quincy Smith in Weymouth, Mass., on Nov. 11, 1744, Abigail was one of four children. Her father was a Congregational minister. Despite the fact that women were not given formal education, Abigail spent a great deal of time in her father's library and studying at the knee of her esteemed maternal grandfather. Col. John Quincy. She was in poor health for much of her childhood, so most of her time was spent reading and writing letters. She taught herself French and studied theology, history, government, law, philosophy and the classics. However, she felt deprived of a formal education, and later in her life, she became a vocal advocate for the equal education of girls.

Abigail began a friendship with future president John Adams when she was still a teen. At 26, he was in Boston pursuing a law career and became a frequent visitor to …

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Publication information: Article title: The Voice of Abigail Adams: The Second First Lady Influenced the Politics of a New Nation without Ever Holding Office. Contributors: Anderson, Amy - Author. Magazine title: Success. Publication date: March 2010. Page number: 80+. © 2009 Success Magazine. COPYRIGHT 2010 Gale Group.

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