Abigail Adams Research Paper

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Abigail Adams was born on November 22, 1744.She was born in Weymouth, Massachusetts and passed away on October 28, 1818. She was married to John Adams, the second president of the United States, and the mother of John Quincy Adams, who became the sixth president of the United States. Abigail’s mother was Elizabeth Quincy and her father was William Smith, who was a congregationalist minister. Her siblings were Mary Smith Cranch, William Smith, and Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody. Abigail taught herself pretty much everything she knew. She studied French and could fluently speak it. She also read and wrote well from being self-taught. Abigail and John were third cousins and knew each other since they were children. They met at a family event in…show more content…
John was a delegate to the Continental Congress. It got worse when he became a member of the American Revolution and the Revolutionary War. Abigail was left to do a lot of the work at home, raising their children and doing the farm work. They kept in touch though, it is believed that they sent more than 1,100 letters to each other. As John Adams was busy, Abigail showed her concern about how women would be treated. In one of her letters to her husband, she said, “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 Rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation.” Abigail said her thoughts on politics with her husband a lot. Throughout his time in office, Abigail had served as an unofficial helper in office. Their letters show him asking for her help many…show more content…
During her husband’s time in the office, the United States had some problems with France. France was in the middle of war when Adams became president. France was being run by a group known as the Directory. The Directory had stopped trade with the United States and did not want to meet with the U.S. In 1798, President Adams was told that the French officials would have talks for real bribes. This attempt at blackmail did not go well with him and he told Congress about it. The documents related to the incident were posted, and the situation was known as the X, Y, Z Affair as Adams only used letters to say the French members instead of their actual names. Abigail thought that war should happen and John wanted peace. The couple did agree on the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798 though. The three alien acts were for immigrants slowing down the waiting period for naturalization, allowing the government to release foreign subjects, and allow the deporting of any alien that seemed dangerous or a threat to them. The Sedition Act federalized the ban against harsh anti-government writings and the works starting opposition to Congress or the president. Under this act, consequences were fines and jail. Abigail said that those who say lies about John should be punished. John signed these acts for law and has since been praised by historians for this anti-immigrant, anti-free speech
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