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Battle for Equal Rights: Path to the Right to Vote
Abigail Adams writes to Congress, March 31, 1776
“All men would be tyrants if they could,” — Abigail Adams wrote to the Continental Congress and her husband, President John Adams.
A, the second first lady of the United States and mother of John Quincy Adams, the sixth president, was a testament to resilience. Despite being a sickly child, she overcame her physical limitations. She later revealed that it was not her illness but societal barriers that denied her a formal education. The youngest in a large family, her father, a minister, instilled in her a love for reasoning and morality, which would shape her future.
Her mother, Elizabeth, taught her to read and write. She also had unlimited access to her Uncle’s libraries, which helped her study English and French literature. The women in her family played a significant role in shaping her erudite personality, which is why she is still remembered as one of the most knowledgeable first ladies in history.
It cannot be overstated how essential her role was in developing the early United States as a country. She served as President John Adams’ closest advisor, and many of their published letters show that he deeply respected her intelligence and ability to navigate politics at the time. In one…
