Lily Hadley

Abigail Adams, a girl from Boston, trying to get an education from her papa’s library because she couldn’t go to school. Abigail Adams lived during colonial times where things were a bit unfair. She was a kind, caring, and sweet person. She worked hard to get equality for women. She wrote letters to her husband, John Adams, about equality for woman and slaves, including “Remember the Ladies.” Most people responded jokingly about this saying women can't do all these things. They said woman could only do housework, cooking, and cleaning. Did Abigail ignore these people and follow her dreams, or did she give up because of these remarks?

Abigail Adams had a life just like any child in the 1700s. Abigail was born on November 11, 1744, in Weymouth, MA to Elizabeth Quincy Smith and William Smith, a Congregationalist minister. She had one brother, William, and two sisters, Mary and Elizabeth. Back then most girls were not allowed to go to school. Abigail was intelligent and wished that she could go to school. She read in her papa’s library to learn as much as she could. To help the girls with their education, the family also had a tutor named Richard Cranch. A friend of Cranch's, a lawyer named John Adams, met 17-year-old Abigail and it was love at first site. They later came together to be the 2^nd President and First Lady of the United States.

Abigail’s anger over not being able to get a better education helped her to argue for women's rights in life. Fighting for rights back then was a big thing. She got into equality for all because of John Quincy's concern for the community after the war. This made Abigail notice the importance of freedom. She started to get into woman’s rights. She was confident that women could be leaders and law makers and that there should be education at public schools for women. Women didn’t have the same equality as men. Women weren't allowed to go to school or have a job. Women weren't even allowed to buy land or vote. Finally, Abigail was one of those people fighting for their rights.

One of her accomplishments was “Remember the Ladies.” This was a letter she wrote to her husband about equal rights for all people, including slaves. John replied jokingly to her letter. She also wondered if she would make people angry because of her words. Men laughed a lot, saying girls cannot do that. Abigail’s life had some obstacles, but she did not back off and overcame them with confidence.

When the men were meeting in Philadelphia, she said to her husband, "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 favorable 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 particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to provoke a rebellion and will not hold ourselves bound by any laws in which we have no voice or representation.” (“Letter to John Adams - Teaching American History.”)

She didn't know it then, but her letter would eventually help woman. 150 years later the House of Representatives voted to pass the 19th Amendment, giving women the right to vote. Adam's letter was used in the fight for equal rights for women. She also disliked slavery and wanted women to have education. She didn’t want what was wrong and would continue to fight for these things. The letters between John and Abigail are one of the most treasured artifacts to this day.

Abigail was a hard worker and a mom. Sadly, Abigail died October 28, 1818, in Quincy, Massachusetts of Typhoid fever. She was 73. She is now buried under First Unitarian Church, in Massachusetts, where her dad worked. Abigail Adams lived a long and eventful life.

Abigail’s “Remember the Ladies” was the first step to woman’s rights. People are influenced by her every day and are still trying to help the fight for equal rights. You can see Abigail's statue to remember her in Boston at the Boston Woman’s Memorial. Some even say you can see her as a ghost hanging laundry in the White House.