Abigail adams: a revolutionary american woman essay

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.

His writings taught her about the life she already knew and also to “ expect moments of beauty and pleasure but also times of destruction and sadness. ” Abigail learned a significant amount of information by reading and she did not realize the importance of what she was reading until her later years. Through all the readings that she had possessed she had become, what was the start of, an independent woman. The fact that she continued to read to further her knowledge and to learn more did not faze her that not many other women were doing as she was. At a young age she knew that “ settling” with the roles of women during this time was a life that she had to choose but she also wanted more. She wanted to educate herself and that she did through the works of her favorite author’s books and poems.

With the marriage to John Adams, Abigail gained more than just a family and a husband she gained a greater independence for herself and for the women in the colonies. John Adams was a political man and devoted his life to politics. Abigail spent majority of her married years alone and raising a family by herself, with the help of family and servants. It was during these years that Abigail started writing a tremendous amount of letters.

She wrote to family and friends but most importantly to her husband John. In the letters to her husband she was able to express her feelings about situations that were happening in the family and colonies. She wrote encouraging words that helped him through troubled times in politics. With the absence of her husband during her second pregnancy, Abigail started reading again. She read two volumes of Sermons to Young Women and she grew fond of reading them.

She liked the fact that Fordyce, the author of the volume works, accepted the differences between the sexes. “ God created woman to be a helpmate to the man on whom she depended for protection and support. ” Many of Fordyce’s words encouraged Abigail of the duties she was to fulfill as a wife and a mother. She lived by these words and encouraged other woman to do the same. Fordyce also believed, “ The best standard of her sex required a genteel young woman to make a diligent and proper use of her intellect.

Though the female mind, like the body, had been formed less vigour than the male, intellectual accomplishments were still essential. ” Abigail would later realize that these writings shaped the way she was viewed as a woman. With her children growing older and Abigail becoming more involved with her husband’s affairs, John “ considered her an intellectual equal and enjoyed discussing politics freely with her in the confines of their home. It was because of this that allowed her to help shape the political views of her husband and son.

Abigail understood the line between men and women but she still spoke about political stance between family and friends. With John being into politics Abigail learned quickly the hatred against Britain. She expressed her concerns and views with her husband and she proudly called herself “ a daughter of America. ” Through the years of moving and traveling with her family Abigail stressed the importance of education to her children. Abigail became more judgmental than her husband but was never considered close minded to new facts. The letters that were written between her and her husband contained many thoughts and concerns Abigail felt.

She stressed to John that “ slavery was a contradiction to Whig ideology and the Christian religion and that she did not want a revolution in the roles of men and women but rather for a legal system under which women could find maximum fulfillment in there ascribed roles as wife and mothers, as domestic being deferential to fathers and husbands” and she believed, “ that no one could be trusted to exercise unlimited power over another, not even a husband over a wife. Abigail was able to speak freely through the letters to her husband and because of this she gained a certain respect from him and others. He took her words into consideration and put them into his own work. John wanted to make life better for his family and for the colonies and he made sure he did so. Raising children by herself was not an easy task but she made it work.

She knew that her husband took part in important roles in the political light. She understood that he was not able to be there majority of the time, although she hated him being away, she managed. Her children suffered the absence of their father the same Abigail did a husband. This made the children close to their mother but understood why their father was not around.

While raising her children, Abigail taught them many life lessons. They knew and understood the differences between the sexes, and they grew up listening to the sermons their mother read aloud. The Adam’s children grew to be intelligent and well-mannered youths. It was because of this that they were successful in their older years. The teachings of their mother and the way of life their father made for them taught them how to be successful.

Abigail expressed more to her daughter the “ purity and simplicity of manners” because it was just that that made Abigail the woman she portrayed herself to be. There was only so much that Abigail could teach her children but each opportunity allowed 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.