Abigail Smith Adams... First Lady
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Early Life:
Abigail Smith (her maiden name) was born on November 11, 1744 in Weymouth, Massachusetts. She was a daughter of Elizabeth Quincy Smith and William Smith. Elizabeth Quincy Smith was born in Braintree, Massachusetts in 1721 and got married to William Smith on 1740. Sadly, she died in Weymouth, Massachusetts. On the other hand, William Smith was born in January 29, 1706 in Charlestown, Massachusetts. He died in September 1783 in Weymouth, Massachusetts. Abigail was the second oldest sibling and had two sisters and one brother. Mary Smith Cranch ( older sister)was born in 1741 and died in 1811. William Smith( younger brother) was born in 1746 and died in 1787. In 1750, Elizabeth Smith Shaw Peabody was born and died in 1815. |
Education:
Abigail Smith did not go to school because girls were not allowed to go to school at that time. However, she pleaded her parents to let her go to school. So, her mother ( Elizabeth Quincy Smith) taught her the basics, Shakespeare Literature, letters, the classics, philosophy, theology, ancient history, government, and the law. Also, Abigail often visited her father's and grandfather's library to read books. Abigail was encouraged to by her parents to read and study.
Marriage:
Abigail Smith and John Adams were third cousins and have known each other since they were little. Then, Abigail and John met each other in a Social Gathering in 1762. They met when Abigail was 15 and John was 27. John fell in love with Abigail because of her knowledge of poetry, philosophy, and politics. Abigail Adams and John Adams got married in October 25, 1764 when Abigail was 19 and John was 31 years old.
Children:
Abigail Adams and John Adams had six children over ten years. They had three daughters and three sons. Abigail Amelia Adams Smith( 1765-1813), John Quincy Adams(1767-1848), Susanna Adams(1768-1770), Charles Adams(1770, 1800), Thomas Boylston Adams( 1772, 1832), and Elizabeth Adams( stillborn in 1777).
Letters:
As a politician, John was away from home very often which left Abigail to take care of the children. This is when Abigail Adams started to write letters. She wrote over 3,000 letters!!! The letters she wrote contained Abigail’s strong opinions, advice for John, and any shocking news that happened. Her letters were the third most important thing to her after her family and friends.
Political Involvement:
In 1789, John became the first vice president so Abigail Adams became the first vice president’s wife. This continued for 8 more years. When George Washington decided not to run a third term, Abigail persuaded John to run for president and he got elected in 1796.This meant that Abigail Adams was the second First Lady. However, at that time, George Washington died and people made the White House to represent him. So, Abigail and John were the first one to move in! Abigail Smith Adams was the first First Lady to live in the White House! In 1800, John lost the election to Thomas Jefferson. The only good news was that John and Abigail did not have to write any more letters since they were together again.
Death:
Sadly, Abigail Smith Adams caught the typhoid fever and died in Quincy, Massachusetts on October 28, 1818 at the age of 73. But, while John and John Quincy was alive, John Quincy became the 6th president of the United States in 1825. That means that Abigail Smith Adams was the wife and mother of a president!
A Fitting Memorial:
As I mentioned before, Abigail Adams wrote over 3,000 letters! So I thought that Abigail’s memorial will be a statue of a letter, quill pen, and of Abigail. Also, I planned to have an information stand surrounding the letter telling what was in her letters and why it was very important to her. A computer, t.v., and/or service would be nice because I would like to have something interactive. I would want a statue of Abigail and a quill pen because I do not want people waiting to see the letter but other things to remember about Abigail. Underneath the statue of Abigail, I would have information about her and why she wrote letters. Next to the statue of the quill pen will be a quote. “ My bursting heart must find vent at my pen.” I chose this quote because this quote defines that Abigail Adams loves to write letters. Also, this means that she must express her letters because they are very meaningful to her. The name of my memorial is “ From the Desk of Abigail”. I thought that this name was appropriate because a desk is where Abigail wrote her letters. When I give my plan to a constructor I would want the statue of the letter to be 13 feet long and 7 feet wide. I want the memorial to be this big so many people will be able to see it and to show that letters are the third most important thing to her. The quill pen and the statue of Abigail will be 7 feet and 5 feet wide because I want it to be the size where it won’t be too small or too tall. Quincy, Massachusetts will be a good location for this memorial because she died there and this is where she wrote most of her letters.
Abigail Smith did not go to school because girls were not allowed to go to school at that time. However, she pleaded her parents to let her go to school. So, her mother ( Elizabeth Quincy Smith) taught her the basics, Shakespeare Literature, letters, the classics, philosophy, theology, ancient history, government, and the law. Also, Abigail often visited her father's and grandfather's library to read books. Abigail was encouraged to by her parents to read and study.
Marriage:
Abigail Smith and John Adams were third cousins and have known each other since they were little. Then, Abigail and John met each other in a Social Gathering in 1762. They met when Abigail was 15 and John was 27. John fell in love with Abigail because of her knowledge of poetry, philosophy, and politics. Abigail Adams and John Adams got married in October 25, 1764 when Abigail was 19 and John was 31 years old.
Children:
Abigail Adams and John Adams had six children over ten years. They had three daughters and three sons. Abigail Amelia Adams Smith( 1765-1813), John Quincy Adams(1767-1848), Susanna Adams(1768-1770), Charles Adams(1770, 1800), Thomas Boylston Adams( 1772, 1832), and Elizabeth Adams( stillborn in 1777).
Letters:
As a politician, John was away from home very often which left Abigail to take care of the children. This is when Abigail Adams started to write letters. She wrote over 3,000 letters!!! The letters she wrote contained Abigail’s strong opinions, advice for John, and any shocking news that happened. Her letters were the third most important thing to her after her family and friends.
Political Involvement:
In 1789, John became the first vice president so Abigail Adams became the first vice president’s wife. This continued for 8 more years. When George Washington decided not to run a third term, Abigail persuaded John to run for president and he got elected in 1796.This meant that Abigail Adams was the second First Lady. However, at that time, George Washington died and people made the White House to represent him. So, Abigail and John were the first one to move in! Abigail Smith Adams was the first First Lady to live in the White House! In 1800, John lost the election to Thomas Jefferson. The only good news was that John and Abigail did not have to write any more letters since they were together again.
Death:
Sadly, Abigail Smith Adams caught the typhoid fever and died in Quincy, Massachusetts on October 28, 1818 at the age of 73. But, while John and John Quincy was alive, John Quincy became the 6th president of the United States in 1825. That means that Abigail Smith Adams was the wife and mother of a president!
A Fitting Memorial:
As I mentioned before, Abigail Adams wrote over 3,000 letters! So I thought that Abigail’s memorial will be a statue of a letter, quill pen, and of Abigail. Also, I planned to have an information stand surrounding the letter telling what was in her letters and why it was very important to her. A computer, t.v., and/or service would be nice because I would like to have something interactive. I would want a statue of Abigail and a quill pen because I do not want people waiting to see the letter but other things to remember about Abigail. Underneath the statue of Abigail, I would have information about her and why she wrote letters. Next to the statue of the quill pen will be a quote. “ My bursting heart must find vent at my pen.” I chose this quote because this quote defines that Abigail Adams loves to write letters. Also, this means that she must express her letters because they are very meaningful to her. The name of my memorial is “ From the Desk of Abigail”. I thought that this name was appropriate because a desk is where Abigail wrote her letters. When I give my plan to a constructor I would want the statue of the letter to be 13 feet long and 7 feet wide. I want the memorial to be this big so many people will be able to see it and to show that letters are the third most important thing to her. The quill pen and the statue of Abigail will be 7 feet and 5 feet wide because I want it to be the size where it won’t be too small or too tall. Quincy, Massachusetts will be a good location for this memorial because she died there and this is where she wrote most of her letters.