Separated from her husband when he left for his diplomatic service as minister to France, and then to England in , she kept him informed of domestic politics while he confided international affairs to her. She joined him in , exploring France and England, received in the latter nation by the king.
Upon their return, during John Adams' tenure as the first Vice President , Abigail Adams spent part of the year in the capital cities of New York and Philadelphia, while Congress was in session. Presidential Campaign and Inauguration: As much of her political role was conducted in correspondence, so too was Abigail Adams's active interest in her husband's two presidential campaigns, in and , when his primary challenger was their close friend, anti-Federalist Thomas Jefferson.
Caring for her husband's dying mother Abigail Adams was unable to attend his March 4, inaugural ceremony in Philadelphia. She was highly conscious, however, of how their lives would change that day, with "a sense of the obligations, the important trusts, and numerous duties connected with it.
Her caution about their old friend Thomas Jefferson had grown to mistrust by this point, he having come in second in the presidential election campaign against her husband and, in the old system, was thus declared the new Vice President. Knowing that her every word, be it written or spoken, would be examined, criticized, ridiculed and used against the new Administration, she caught herself in the middle of writing one political missive.
I fear I shall make a dull business when such restrictions are laid upon it. Not long after Adams had been elected, Mrs. Adams admitted in still another letter. First Lady: , March 4 - , March 4 52 years old. Of the four years her husband served as President, Abigail Adams was actually present in the temporary capital of Philadelphia and then, finally, the permanent " Federal City, " of Washington, D.
She nonetheless made a strong impression on the press and public. When she looked directly at Alexander Hamilton while speaking to him, for example, she declared that she had just" looked into the eyes of the devil himself. Highly conscious of her position as the president's wife, Abigail Adams saw her role largely as a hostess for the public and partisan symbol of the Federalist Party.
Abigail Adams made no attempt to hide her contempt for the Anti-Federalists loyal to Jefferson who looked for any chance to publicly attack the Federalist followers of Adams. President, not of the United States but a faction. It would stick with Abigail Adams for the rest of history.
Wounded as she was, the remark did not make Abigail Adams recede in public. She was unofficially titled " Lady Adams, " and encouraged such recognition by assuming a visible ceremonial role. With such a high profile, it could therefore hardly have been a surprise to her that slipping out one night to the Chestnut Street Theater to hear a new and stirring march written to honor President Adams while " in-cog, " would be unsuccessful.
The editor of the Aurora, an especially vicious anti-Adams newspaper immediately recognized Mrs. Often mentioned in the press, her opinions were even quoted at a New England town hall meeting. Even the private letters exchanged between the presidential couple could be purloined and intercepted by political enemies in the chain of the postal system.
Abigail Adams was livid. In , Abigail married John Adams, a Harvard graduate beginning a law career. As her husband increasingly traveled as a lawyer, political revolutionary, and—after the Revolution—a diplomat, Abigail managed their farm and business affairs while raising the children. Although married women at this time had limited property rights, Adams began to refer to their property as hers.
From their earliest married days, the couple began an extensive correspondence, which provides insight into the social and political climate of the Revolutionary and Early National periods in American history. Remember all men would be tyrants if they could. Though not exactly the feminist some historians have depicted her to be, Adams was concerned with greater protection for women under the new laws, as well as access to formal education. She traveled with him throughout Europe for five years during his stint as a diplomat.
Adams also worked for the political advancement of her son, John Quincy Adams, though she would not live to see his election as president in MLA - Michals, Debra. Date accessed. Chicago - Michals, Debra. Abigail Smith Adams Edited by Debra Michals, PhD Works Cited. Detroit: Gale, History in Context. Throughout her husband's career, Abigail served as his unofficial adviser.
Their letters show him seeking her counsel on many issues, including his presidential aspirations. After the revolution, Abigail joined her husband in France and later in England, where he served from to as the first American minister to the Court of St. When her husband became vice president the next year, Abigail stayed with him in the capital for only part of the time, often returning to Massachusetts to look after their farm and to tend other business matters.
While in the capital, in New York, she helped First Lady Martha Washington with entertaining dignitaries and other officials. Abigail remained a supportive spouse and confidante after her husband became the president in Abigail rose early to tend to family and household matters and spent much of the remainder of the day receiving visitors and hosting events.
She still spent a lot of time back in Massachusetts because of her health. Abigail and John did not always see eye to eye on matters of policy. Once a great ally, France was in the midst of a revolution when John became president. The country was being run by a five-man executive group known as the Directory along with a legislative body. The Directory had stopped trade with the United States and refused to meet with any U.
In , President Adams was told that the French officials would hold talks for substantial bribes. This attempt at extortion did not sit well with him and he told Congress about the incident.
The documents related to the incident were published, and the whole situation became known as the X, Y, Z Affair as President Adams had only used letters to identify the French officials instead of their names.
Abigail thought war should be declared while John sought out a peaceful, less costly solution. The couple did, however, agree on the Alien and Sedition Acts of The three alien acts were aimed at immigrants increasing the waiting period for naturalization, allowing the government to detain foreign subjects, and permitting the deportation of any alien deemed dangerous.
The Sedition Act federalized the ban against malicious anti-government writings and other works inciting opposition to Congress or the president. Under the act, penalties included fines and jail time.
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