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Abigail Adams: A Revolutionary American Woman
Abigail Adams married a man destined to be a major leader of the American Revolution and the second President of the United States. Although she married and raised men that become such significant figures during their time, her herself was played an important role in the American society. The events that happened in her life, starting from childhood and ending in her adult years, led her to be a Revolutionary woman. Three main reasons behind her becoming such a strong, independent woman was the fact that she married a man who had an important role in politics, growing up with no education, and raising a family basically by herself.
Growing up Abigail never attended a real school; she was barely even home-schooled. At home she hardly learned to read and write, and she was taught little music or dance to develop the girly charm. During this time the colonies acted as though education for females was not a necessity so when Abigail was taught it happened at home and she was usually taught by her parents, older sister, or her grandparents. Abigail was never taught the rules of writing and it was not until the marriage of her older sister Mary to Richard Cranch that allowed her to get involved with literature. “To our dear and venerable Brother Cranch do I attribute my early taste for letters; and for the nurture and cultivation of those qualities which have since afforded me much pleasure and satisfaction.” It was because of Mr. Cranch that Abigail learned of her writing techniques that later played a large role in her life. The literary works of many men opened Abigail to a new world of literacy. It was from writers like John Thomson that gave Abigail a sense of pleasure in reading...
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...llowed for a new life lesson. It is obvious that the teachings Abigail instilled in her children were great because her son followed in his father’s footsteps and because a political leader and second President of the United States. Her daughter married a man that both she and John approved of and they made a good life for themselves.
Abigail achieved many goals throughout her life and it was because of this that led her to be a Revolutionary women. Her ability to overcome literacy issues, the sacrifices she took for her husband, and the strength to “borne their five children” alone and raise them to be independent and successful. It was because of these events that made Abigail Adams a respected woman in the light of the colonies.
Bibliography
Akers, Charles W. Abigail Adams: A Revolutionary Woman, 3rd Ed.
New York, New York: Pearson Education, Inc, 2007.
John Adams began his career as a lawyer, and he first rose to prominence as an opponent of the Stamp Act of 1765 which deprived the American colonists of two basic rights guaranteed to all Englishmen, and which all free men deserved: rights to be taxed on only by consent and to be tried only by a jury of one?s peers. Then, he successfully defended the British soldiers involved in the Boston Massacre (1770) with only two of the eight found guilty of manslaughter believing that it was important to ensure that innocents were protected. From 1770 ? 1774, Adams served in the Massachusetts legislature and was then elected a member of the Continental Congress. He nominated Washington to be Commander-in-Chief and was part of the committee that worked to draft the Declaration of Independence.
Linda K. Kerber accomplished a rather large task by researching and completing Women of the Republic. Aside from her lack of research of lower-class and Southern women of the Revolution, Kerber portrays an excellent amount of research and information. Her work is very well-written and articulate and would be very beneficial to anyone hoping to find information about the role women played during the American Revolution. This work does a great job presenting information about the role of Revolutionary women; it is a must read for anyone interested in the subject matter.
In a letter Abigail Adams rights to her son, John Quincy Adams, who is traveling abroad with his father, John Adams, she advises her son to take advantage of the opportunities he has to utilize his own knowledge and talents to improve his sophistication and obtain growth in expanding im his character. Abigail Adams carried a maternal tone to encourage her son along his journey throughout the letter. Adams supports her position by giving examples with pathos, analogies and allusions.
The American Revolution had a significant impact on parts of society that included women, slaves, and Indians. Women actually played a significant role in the American Revolution, even if the proper place for a lady during that time was the home. The Cult of Domesticity agreed with this statement, believing women belonged in the home doing the chores and caring for the children. However, women were beginning to prove that they had a purpose beyond the home. Someone once made a woodcut statue of a patriot woman who was holding a gun and wearing a hat similar to what the men wore during the war (Doc A). Women were involved in the war as nurses, spies and aids. Some even cut their hair short and pretended to be
...s were introduced. American women are truly lucky to have had Abigail Adams. Abigail Adams' efforts have given education for females. Charles W. Akers, the author of Abigail Adams an American Women, as well as I believe that if Abigail hadn't spoken out on these subjects, who else would have? Even though she did not accomplish her crusades, she planted the idea of her goal and objective into other minds. For her courageous foresight, women now have equal rights. Abigail was a talented letter writer, a supporter of her husband in his long civic career, and the mother of the most significant family dynasty in American public life. Abigail Smith Adams was the first fully liberated woman in American history and an inspiration to women for generations to come.
Before the Revolution, women were not allowed a voice in the political world. They almost had no rights, especially if they were married. They were granted fewer opportunities than men. Women were to stay at home care for the household and family. However, that soon began to change. When the Stamp Act was passed in 1765, it required colonist to pay a tax on every piece of printed-paper they used. Women refused to pay for the shipped items from the mother country, “The first political act of American women was to say ‘No’(Berkin 13). As from then, an uprising in issues began to unroll. Women began to seek their voice been heard and act out on problems that were uprising, such as the British Tea. As the war broke out, women’s lives changed even more. While men were in compact, they kept their families alive by managing the farms and businesses, something that they did not do before the war. As the fighting advanced, armies would rummage through towns, destroying homes and seizing food-leaving families with nothing. Women were attacked while their property was being stripped away from them; some women destroyed their own property to keep their family safe. “Women’s efforts to save the family resources were made more difficult by the demands of the military.
On January 12, 1780, Abigail Adams, former First Lady, wrote to her son, John Quincy Adams, while he was abroad with his father and brother. Adams addressed to her son and future President to maintain his spirit to learn and grow. She expressed his purpose through her motherly tone, various religious and historical allusions, use of logos, rhetorical question with simple syntax and use of metaphors.
paved the way for religious freedom. She was a great leader in the cause for
of the saintly image of Abigail and to reveal her motive. By avowing his affair with
Roberts says that if it weren’t for these women our lives today might very well be completely different then they are today. There still might have been poor and unsafe working conditions, unequal wages between men and women, and much more. These women were constantly fighting and influencing their husbands and important men around them to, as Abigail Adams said, “remember the ladies”. George Washington was a man that never forgot to recognize the ladies. Roberts provides a quote from George Washington where he is recognizing the men which we now call the Founding Fathers. He starts by giving credit to the men that formed our nation but also includes that the ladies played a huge role in shaping our country and they are the “best patriots America can boast”. Roberts concludes the book with that statement, which leaves the book at an ending that makes you stop and reflect on the real impact these women have had. Female activists were formed because of the bravery of these women and if it went for them, female activists might not have been as successful as they were. Roberts proves that these Founding Mothers were the foundation and stability behind our Founding
Women had a role in the forming of our country that many historians overlook. In the years leading to the revolution and after women were political activists. During the war, women took care of the home front. Some poor women followed the army and assisted to the troops. They acted as cooks, laundresses and nurses. There were even soldiers and spies that were women. After the revolution, women advocated for higher education. In the early 1800’s women aided in the increase of factories, and the changing of American society. Women in America were an important and active part of achieving independence and the framing of American life over the years.
As a social studies girl, I knew most famous women in history. But without a doubt, I would choose Susan B. Anthony. She was a social reformer who played a significant role in women’s suffrage movement. As a feminist, she went against women stereotypes. During the 1800s, women were recognized as a social inferior group. Their jobs were categorized as a phrase- Republican Motherhood. This phrase means that as a woman, our job is to take care about domestic issues and we cannot take over men’ jobs. As a young woman, I had experienced gender stereotype in China. I believe that I state it in my personal statement. If I had a chance to talk to her, I would love to ask about her role as a political figure. What did she experienced that made her a
Often historical events leading up to the twentieth century are dominated by men and the role of women is seemingly non-existent outside of reproduction. When one thinks of notable and memorable names and events of the Revolution, men are the first to be mentioned. The American Revolution was mainly dominated by men including George Washington, Samuel Adams, and Benjamin Franklin. There is no denying that men were vitally important to the American Revolution, but what were the women doing? Often overlooked, the women of the Revolution played a key role in the outcome of the nation. The women of the American Revolution, although not always recognized, were an influential society that assumed risky jobs like soldiers, as well as involvement
The role of women in the Early Republic is a topic mostly overlooked by historians when dealing with this era of American history. The triumphs of the Revolution and the early events of the new nation were done solely by men. However, women had their own political societies and even participated in the Revolution. Women's roles began to take a major turn after the war with Great Britain. This was due in part to their involvement in the war and female patriotism. Others believed it was due to the easier access to formal education for young women. Whatever the reason, it inspired women to challenge the social structure of the Early Republic. The roles of women were changing in the Early Republic. However, progress was slow and little change followed after the Revolution. This change in social structure elicited two questions. What caused this social change and what was the major setback for the progression of women's rights? These were the questions Linda Kreber's Women In The Republic: Intellect And Ideology In Revolutionary America, Caroline Robbins' review of Mary Norton's Liberty's Daughters: The Revolutionary Experience of American Women, and Sheila Skemp's review of Lucia McMahon's Mere Equals: The Paradox of Educated Women in the Early American Republic attempted to answer. Each of the pieces of literature agreed that the social equality of women was changing, but each offer a unique aspect of what changed it, and what slowed progression of equality.
In order to regain the sense of comfort that America once had, many people, especially women, created and sought after societies of reform. They felt very inspired, considering the Second Great Awakening had just ended. In doing so, the control of the nation's future slowly returned to the citizens of the United States. In a letter to her husband, Abigail Adams asked him to remember the ladies, and "to be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors". She goes on to warn John Adams not to put unrestricted power into the hands of men (Doc B).