Biographical Overview & Key Facts

Subject:

Abigail Adams

Role / Field:

Influential advisor, first Second Lady, and key figure in US founding.

Born:

1744-11-22

Died:

1818-10-28

Century / Era:

1744s Historical Era

Database Source:

2Day Chrono-Wiki & Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0

Origins & Early Life

Abigail Adams (née Smith; 22 November [O.S. 11 November] 1744 – October 28, 1818) was the wife and closest advisor of John Adams, the second president of the United States, and the mother of John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States. She is widely considered to be an influential figure in the founding of the United States, and was both the first second lady and second first lady of the United States, although such titles were not used at the time. She and Barbara Bush are the only two women in American history who were both the wife of a U.S.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

president and the mother of another U.S. president. Abigail Adams's life is one of the most documented of the first ladies. Many of the letters she wrote to John Adams while he was in Philadelphia as a delegate in the Continental Congress, prior to and during the Revolutionary War, document the closeness and versatility of their relationship. John Adams frequently sought the advice of Abigail on many matters, and their letters are filled with intellectual discussions on government and politics.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Her letters also serve as eyewitness accounts of the home front of the Revolutionary War. Surveys of historians conducted periodically...

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

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• Alexander II of Russia — Contemporary (Born in 1818) (1818): Emperor of Russia, known as 'The Liberator' for abolishing serfdom.
• Charles Gounod — Contemporary (Born in 1818) (1818): A leading French Romantic composer, celebrated for operas like Faust and Ave Maria.
• Elizabeth F. Ellet — Contemporary (Born in 1818) (1818): American writer, poet, and historian, celebrated for chronicling women's roles in the American Revolution.
• Aldous Huxley — Shared historical date (11-22 · Died) (1963): English writer and philosopher known for social satire and mystical explorations.
• André Gide — Shared historical date (11-22 · Born) (1869): Pioneering French author, Nobel laureate known for exploring selfhood and transgression.
• Auguste Escoffier — Shared historical date (10-28 · Born) (1846): Pioneering French chef who modernized haute cuisine and codified the brigade system.
• Bernadette Lafont — Shared historical date (10-28 · Born) (1938): Iconic French actress, celebrated for her role in the New Wave movement.
• 1744 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1744
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• October 28 (10-28) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on October 28

Frequently Asked Questions about Abigail Adams