Category: Abigail Adams

The ideals of the Declaration of Independence were established in 1776 which was all for equality, life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, but were not entirely evident when it came to the re-imagining of a women’s role.

Abigail Adams had been unable to convince John Adams and congress to grant women more rights as they were about to shape the new national government, but it could be seen that John was not going to Remember the Ladies as he states in his response letter to Abigail, “As to your extraordinary code of laws, I cannot but laugh. We have been told that our struggle has loosened the bands of Government everywhere”.

Someone may wonder why were women still complaining about rights if sixty-eight women signed off on the document? That is because they were not heard or treated with equality when the document was established because it only listed a women’s grievances and it didn’t take action into changing these ‘complaints’.

After Independence from England was declared that gave the ability to the thirteen colonies to be able to establish their own state constitutions. A woman’s rights in the Early Republic differentiated based on where they resided and the social circumstances in the region of the country. Later the U.S constitution went into effect in 1789 giving concern over individual liberties and arose the Bill of Rights, but those rights did not even pertain to women. For example, in 1756 women from Massauchussets, New York, and New Hampshire were deprived of voting because state constitutions went into effect and stated that women could not vote.

Furthermore, the sermon known as the Application by Jonathan Edwards engaged hearers hearts and encouraged them to take action. The sermon stated “The God that holds you over the pit of hell..he looks upon you as a worthy of nothing else” and “he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times so abominable in his eyes”. Possibly made the women react because it just sounds as if it would have made them relate the statement to how the founding fathers and many men viewed women.

“It then all belonged to red men..only way, to check and to stop this evil is for all the red men to unite in claiming a common and equal right in the land”. This statement is from the document Tecumseh calls for Pan-Indian Resistance, 1810 and the year it was written is thirty four years after the Declaration of Independence. The native women were not included anywhere in the message because men no matter the ethnicity believed that women didn’t have a right to claim property, vote, or any right that was considered to be a man’s.

Leading into another instance and years after the declaration of independence where women in South Carolina experience occupation in 1780. Eliza Wilkinson wrote about a day where the British Army came to non-combatants houses.It was described as terrible to the last degree. The men were ruthless and overbearing. Mainly the woman dealt with this type of disrespect of getting there houses turned inside out and robbed because the men felt of higher authority over the women. All of what the women were able to do was accept the undesirable but inevitable raid. In addition to their emotional and physical damage to the women they had the audacity to believe they were being apologetic and generous when they gave the women a plate of honey from the women’s personal goods. After such unwelcome visitors, it is not surprising that the unprotected women could not eat or sleep in peace causing them a gloomy resignation of hope.

However thoughts of women’s rights had begun to grow , but they remained small in numbers and increased through the 1820s to 1840s because they began playing a greater role by participating in various reform movements. Elizabeth Cady Stanton used the most important document produced by the body of the Declaration of Independence as a template for the Declaration of Sentiments which was presented at the first women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls, New York on July 1848 and inspired many women to stand up for their rights. Leading to the creation of the National Woman’s Suffrage Association and the American Woman Suffrage Association in 1869 to 1890 where they decided to join forces and became The National American Woman Suffrage Association.

Finally, the Declaration of Independence did not allow for a reimagining of a womens role, but it did set off a movement written by Susan B. Anthony, Matilda Joslyn Gage, and Elizabeth Cady Stanton on behalf of the National American Woman’s Suffrage Association called the Women’s Declaration of Rights in 1876 that gained speed and power and after a seventy two year struggle gained victory in 1920, better known as the nineteenth amendment.

Bibliography

1. Letter from Abigail Adams to John Adams, 31 March – 5 April 1776 [electronic edition].Adams Family Papers: An Electronic Archive. Massachusetts Historical Society. September 2, 2019.
2. Letter from John Adams to Abigail Adams, 14 April 1776 [electronic edition]. Adams Family Papers: An Electronic Archive. Massachusetts Historical Society. September 2, 2019.
3. Elizabeth Ellet, The Women of the American Revolution, Volume 1 (New York: 1819), 225-232. September 2, 2019.
4. Jonathan Edwards, Sermons and Discourses, 1739-1742, Harry S. Stout, ed. (Works of Jonathan Edwards Online, Vol. 22), 410-418. September 2, 2019.
5. Samuel G. Drake, The Book of the Indians; or, the Biography and History of the Indians of North America, from its first discovery to the year 1841 (Boston: 1836), 121-122. September 2, 2019.

As the great Birgham Young said, “You educate a man; you educate a man. You educate a woman; you educate a generation”. These words could not have better painted the picture of how women felt in America in 1776 amidst the great American Revolution. At the time the ideas of human rights, liberty and independence were being pursued by white men, however women’s rights were merely brushed off. The source introduces a feminist ideology and approach to rights issue in precise manner of friendly correspondence between a wife and her husband. The tone of the writing is affirmative, friendly, yet determined. This quality of voice speaks of the resilience of the writer, and other women of her era, who were fighting of an equality agenda in the age of liberation. In many ways, Abigail presents the discourse of equal rights as an urgent issue which women pursue relentlessly in their private and public life. Although ideas such as Republican Motherhood was an attempt in the right direction, this letter gave a better insight into the greater concept of realizing human rights and the fundamental ideals of feminism.

Through this correspondence, Abigail presents a unique perspective on the foundation of American rights and the general political system. Abigail was the wife of the second president of America, John Adams. She was a feminist in an age where many women lead oppressed private lives and had no intention or capacity to fight for their inherent freedoms. She was an empowered women of the 18 th century, who dealt equally with her husband. Abigail refers to her spouse as a friend, and uses her feminine charm to prompt his understanding of the importance of such relations between men and women. In as much as she identifies her position of privilege since she enjoys equal rights, Abigail is conscious of the forceful nature of fighting for collective rights. She argues, “if particular care is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion…” (Abigail Adams). Abigail, therefore is presented an active voice of reason pushing for the rights of oppressed women, including those who did not realize that they were living under patriarchal domination. Abigail’s declaration of rebellion if not provided with inalienable and equal rights shows that at the time many women were aware of this issue and were willing to take a stand. Abigail’s words show the hypocrisy in which the white men were fighting for in the rebellion against England, and this realization of human rights was a key part in the feminst movement.

Moving forward, Abigail highlights the fundamental ideals and demands of feminism. Abigail’s personality as a socially and politically conscious individual is one that subconsciously drive any successful fight for women’s rights today. Her demands are brief and to the point, women should have a “voice and representation” (Abigail Adams). Even so, she realizes that it takes great political will and cooperation with the men to realize such objectives. Abigail is clear about the purpose of laws in this fights. In fact, her proposition is that, while her husband pushes for social equality through encouraging friendly, rather than master-servant relationships among couples, he should institute a “new code of laws which advances equality.” To her, the fight for women’s rights was to run hand-in-hand with the state’s fight for independence and political liberation.

In conclusion, Abigail’s letter is a powerful instrument of political and social discourse regarding the rights of women and their abilities to influence growth in the society today. This letter, together with her other correspondence with her husband in the 18 th century is true evidence of wielding power within femininity and the implications of the drive to self-actualize as empowered members of society, both in the social, political, cultural and economic spheres of life. She remains an important figurative point of reference in the continuing right for equality of the genders today.

‘Founding Mothers’ is a multi-faceted biography that recognizes the undiscussed efforts and contributions of women during the American Revolution. Roberts uses primary sources written by these women in the form of diary journals and letters to analyze the unseen aspects of women’s achievements during the war and give dimension to their lives. Specifically, figures such as Martha Washington, Sarah Pinckney, and Abigail Adams amongst others are discussed in detail in terms of their contributions to the war efforts and their individual legacies on humanity. To briefly summarize, Roberts discusses these women beyond occupying the roles of conventional wives, instead viewing them as presidential advisors, business managers, fundraisers/supply drive organizers, and agriculturists, opposed to simply housewives, cleaners, and mothers.

Feminism, patriotism, and comradery are the three most major themes of this book, ranging from women. First, Abigail Adams is deeply discussed as a feminist icon of her time, a presidential adviser to her husband, John Adams, and the source of the iconic quote, “remember the ladies”. Roberts writes freely and briefly on Adams, but chooses to represent both her motherhood and her political professionalism, supporting her husband’s efforts at the Continental Congress. Specifically, Adams is represented as a caretaker during the Revolutionary War, and then after, advised her husband during his Presidential term, thus displaying exemplary patriotism. All the while her husband was away on diplomatic affairs, Adams privately raised her children. Additionally, considering a feminist theme, Adams chose to champion education opportunities for women and strongly believed in equal opportunities for women to advance themselves just as men could at the time. Overall, while many textbooks choose to omit Adams’ contributions to the Revolution or choose to stereotypically characterize her solely as a pushover mother, Roberts establishes Adams as a versatile figure who’s teamwork establishes her as her husband’s equal and of the same importance.

Next, Roberts’ writing on Martha Washington’s role as both a spirit lifter to soldiers at the camps during the war, and companion to her husband reveals her dedication to patriotism, beyond that typical to a simple housewife, exemplifying a major theme of the book, comradery. Specifically, Washington visited her husband who was commanding the Continental Army. While the winters were extremely harsh, Martha Washington ended up spending the winter at the camps, bringing good spirits to the soldiers and boosting the morale of her husband at Valley Forge and many other camps throughout the revolution. To reiterate, Martha Washington’s presence during this significant time of her husband’s career helped him become a better leader, in friendship and in patriotism. Additionally, during this time she tended to the soldier’s wounds and overall, serving as her husband’s rock and motivator. Roberts uses this to convey Washington’s unseen influence on the war, regardless of her gender or occupation of typical gender roles. Ultimately, Robert’s characterization of Mary Washington proves that through her actions, she herself was equally as determined to the development of this country as her husband.

Roberts’ writing is disappointing stylistically, as she tends to leap from figure to figure without clear transition, which often leaves her audience confused and unable to follow her thought process. Further, Robert’s frequent lack of structure and organization within her writing makes for a directionless piece of literature. Additionally, many could argue that Roberts writes in a manner that is both dry and uninteresting to a variety of readers, and similarly in conjunction with the book’s length, does not maintain many reader’s attention spans. For example, Roberts does not typically include facts about these women that would be perceived as interesting to a wide spectrum of audiences (Roberts could have included less archaic interests of these women that younger generations could identify with).

In terms of content, Roberts’ writing can appear cliché, as it identifies with conventional motifs, such as the idea that a woman is and should be a man’s support system. An example of this is evident in the way she chooses to portray the relationship between Benjamin Franklin and his estranged wife, Deborah Read Franklin. In depth, Roberts characterizes Deborah Read Franklin as the neglected housewife who remains subservient to her husband’s affairs despite his lack of presence in their marriage. To then add, Robert’s inclusion of her role in defending her household from throngs of irate protesters as a result of the Stamp Act in her husband’s absence characterizes her in the same accommodating manner. This concept of false loyalty within unhealthy romantic relationships within a book supposedly intended to empower women may vex those who seek a text more heavily rooted in feminist affairs.

However, Roberts’ research is both extensively done and supports her purpose accordingly, regardless of her apparent organizational issues. Further, she is able to write credibly on a variety of women’s lives throughout the American Revolutionary period ranging from high profile presidential First Ladies such as Dolly Madison, Martha Washington and Abigail Adams, to lesser known figures, such as Esther Reedwho organized and accumulated hundreds of thousands of dollars in support of the American troops. Crucially, Roberts even included women of color such as Phyllis Wheatley who coexisted in times of slavery, but used her skill and raw talent to attract the attention of President George Washington.

Overall, her research and information appears considerate to women of many walks of life, however her writing itself lacks overall structure and organization, and can be perceived as having anti-feminist gender roles at times. For those specific reasons, this book should not be recommended to readers.

In North American colonies throughout the eighteenth century The Americans start noticing differences between the American and British politics. They start feeling threatened and taken advantage of by the British Government. We start seeing words like tyranny, liberty, equality, and slavery used a lot which gave way to the American Revolution. One of the persons that set path to the movement toward independence was Thomas Paine.

Thomas Paine was an english government official who argued for two things. One of them was independence from British government and secondly he wanted to create a democratic government for the colonies. He challenged the government by writing a pamphlet called ‘Common Sense” in 1776. When he wrote this pamphlet he made sure to use a common language. He claimed that the British government was granted too much power and authority. By using this simple yet direct language he was able to reach the ordinary citizens, giving them the opportunity to understand and to express their own frustrations of the unfair actions of the British Government. This pamphlet helped the American people support those individuals who were advocating independence for the North American colonies.

Contrary to the favoritism of independence Samuel Seabury, a loyalist, was against it. Seabury differed from Paine because he supported the crown. In ‘Samuel Seabury’s Argument against Independence’ claimed, that anyone who advocated independence for the colonies will be responsible for the destruction of the British government. He feared what independence would mean to the colonies. He thought democracy was a tyrannic movement. As a loyalist and Anglican he favored and believed in a hierarchical society, mistrusted ordinary people and was convinced that one should only be devoted to God and the crown.

Another big moment towards independence, liberty and equality was seen in ‘Abigail and John Adams on Women and the American Revolution (1776)’ when Abigail Adams wrote her husband pleading him to keep the interest of women in mind as they prepared to battle Great Britain for independence. This letter was a first step in the fight for equal rights for women. She resented the ‘absolute power’ the government granted to men over their wives. She wanted for the women to be taken in consideration and protected under the new code of conduct. She also reminded him that women would not put up with any law in which they had no form of representation. She was a advocate no just for women’s right but also for education and was againast slavery.

While these movements worked to make way for independence in the colonies, aslo there was a movement developing as well in the African-American slave community. Slaves were also urging for freedom. A eleven year old girl named Phyllis Wheatly wrote a letter to Reverend Occom as a plea for the African slaves to have the same rights of freedom as everyone else. It was a petition for freedom. She claimed that all men were created equal to argue not only for freedom but also for their religious liberty.

The American Revolution and its Declaration of Independence are a hallmark to the Enlightenment ideals of individual liberty, social equality, and the opposition to government tyranny and despotism. It persisted from 1775 until 1783 between the mercantile British mother country and its 13 colonies in America. Led by the efforts of Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Paine, John Adams, Abigail Adams, Elizabeth Murray, the prominent Sons and Daughters of Liberty, American colonists waged a war that revolutionized politics, economics, and social issues across the globe.

The strongest evidence that demonstrates how the American Revolution was indeed a revolution lies in the events of how the American colonists, not only questioned, but rebuked the authority and actions of the British monarch, George III. People questioned their ruler’s right to govern and concluded that they, the people, were the foundation of the nation, as exemplified in the first statement of the Constitution ‘We the People’. The American Revolution debunked the rigid, antiquated European hierarchy that relentlessly bestowed privileges to the perpetual elite, instead asserting a democratic republic that advocated for the common people’s representation and John Locke’s natural rights of ‘life, liberty, and property” as written in his Second Treatise of Government. James Otis, in the ‘Rights of British Colonies’, writes, “’There is no one act which a government can have a right to make that does not tend to the advancement of the security, tranquillity, and prosperity of the people”, conveying that the essential purpose of the government is for the people, a sentiment that was once radicalized by the uptight feudalist norms.

As depicted in the concluding words of Benjamin Franklin’s interview ‘Testimony Against the Stamp Act’, the Revolution spurred colonists to strive for economic liberty as well. Benjamin Franklin appeals to the audience, underscoring how much the American colonists have sacrificed for the sake of the British as well as the colonists’ inability to further pay the imposed imperial taxes. He concludes that, with the revolution, their previous pride for British imports has been passionately replaced by patriotism for American products. James Otis’ ‘Rights of British Colonies Asserted and Approved’ upheld and popularized the notion, “Taxation without representation is tyranny”. John Dickinson is attributed great fame for his compelling work in ‘Letters from a Farmer in Pennsylvania’, in which he advocated resistance to British imports and protested against imperial taxes. Dickinson argues that the tax is not consensual to the people, as Parliament does not include any Americans, and therefore, their imposed taxes are unconstitutional. He implies the Townshend Duties are a “dangerous innovation” that, upon further development, could lead to continual extortion of American colonists in order to unfairly raise revenues for the British. To further incite imagery and amass war effort, Thomas Jefferson even wrote that the British sought to reduce the colonies to slaves. Benjamin Franklin, James Otis, and John Dickinson vigorously contend that the British unconstitutionally violate the common people’s natural rights and cruelly take their economic liberty.

In addition to monumental changes in economics and politics, the American Revolution also inspired consideration of social inequalities. As American colonists preached the natural rights to escape British control, they had to carefully consider and address every individual – male, female, colored, white, old, young, wealthy, and impoverished – in regards to their high proclamations of equality and liberty. James Otis’ ‘Rights of British Colonies Asserted and Approved’ states, “The colonists are by the law of nature freeborn, as indeed all men are, white or black…. The colonists, being men, have a right to be considered as equally entitled to all the rights of nature with the Europeans, and they are not to be restrained in the exercise of any of these rights but for the evident good of the whole community”. Abigail Adams, the second First Lady of the United States, was a strong advocate for women’s rights and education and is famously recorded in the ‘Rights of Women in an Independent Republic’ for her iconic feminist line, “Remember the Ladies” in an endearing letter to her husband, John Adams. She advises her husband to consider implementing laws that would be favorable to women which could include the right to own property and argues that men and women should be, not master and servant, but treasured partners and friends in marriage. Her husband later remarks in a correspondence to John Sullivan about the qualifications of voters whether they be man, woman, young (ages 12-21), and poor.

What was once considered a radical idea left a resounding and revolutionary impact on the world as we know it. The iconic quote, “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all Men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness” exemplifies the spirit of the Whig Party against the perceived tyranny of the British imperialists. The American Revolution progressively usurped the authority of the monarch, promoted public representation, addressed social inequalities, and defined despotic, unconstitutional acts for itself in a backdrop of antiquated, conservative hierarchy and privilege. It was a revolution that thoroughly transformed the way people thought about their sovereigns and rights in politics, economics, and social issues, inspiring and changing history in ways impossible to completely fathom.

Throughout history, women have not been given the same rights, freedoms, or respect that men have. Society has always celebrated the great things men were capable of and women were rarely acknowledged for anything that they did until over a hundred years later when women started fighting back. Before and after the American Revolution, women were only very slowly allowed to have any kind of rights in society, mainly fighting for the rights of the Constitution that men were always handed. Women played the role of caretaker more than they participated in civic society. During the 1700s through the mid-1800s leading to the first women’s rights convention, women were not supposed to speak up or go against men in any way, especially when married and were treated as property. All of the influential women that are celebrated today worked very hard to pave the way for equal rights and laid the foundation for how women participate in society to this day. Women throughout these times required confidence, pride, and determination when it came to fighting for equal rights in society when everyone was against them. The roles and rights of women in society before the American Revolution through the first Women’s Rights Convention in Seneca Falls, 1848, was a time of women pioneers and leaders, sharing their struggles, there battles, and their victories to allow women of the modern era to have the same rights as men.

During the time before the American Revolution women were not held in high regard unless it came to taking care of the family. In 1769, the colonies in America at the time decided to adopt an English system that would not allow women to own their own+ property and any earnings would go to their husbands[footnoteRef:1]. It was the husbands who were to protect and have authority over women according to the laws in place. Women were to take care of all household responsibilities and tend to the children. They were also not allowed to participate in any form of government, including having the right to vote. As of the year 1777, all states passed laws prohibiting women from having the right to vote in all elections. Before as early as 1776, New Jersey was a state that allowed women to vote because they “forgot” to write it into their state laws until later. Once it became clear that it was a “forgotten” law, men worked hard to get it corrected as women were not supposed to participate in government at that time. [1: This is a system known as Coverture. ]

While the revolution was taking place and the men were fighting as soldiers’ women took on a more background role. They participated in boycotts of British products after the Sugar and Townshend Acts were past to show their support of the cause since most women were the ones that commonly bought the goods for their household. Formed in Boston Massachusetts 1767, these women called themselves the Daughters of Liberty because they were still fighting the British for unfair taxation even if it was a more subtle thing being done. The Daughters of Liberty were also known for working long hours to spin yarn and wool for fabric since they were no longer getting it from Britain anymore. One very important woman to this cause was Sarah Bradlee Fulton, the leader of the Daughters of Liberty. Known as the “Mother of the Boston Tea Party” she was largely celebrated by women for her elaborate plans when it came to showing women’s support during the revolution. What created her the title as the “Mother of the Boston Tea Party” was her elaborate plan to disguise women as men (Mohawk Indians) and participate in the Boston Tea Party on December 16, 1773[footnoteRef:2]. Fulton is also credited for bringing women together at the Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, to help nurse wounded soldiers and acted as a surgeon to the injured. These women not only helped colonist soldiers, but were also tending to British soldiers who were injured in the process. Being on the fighting ground was not an easy task, but given the women’s roles as caretakers they were the best fit for the job and massively helped in a hectic situation. Women’s roles in the revolution were just as important as the men’s even if they didn’t acknowledge it. [2: “Women’s History Month: Sarah Bradlee Fulton.” Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area, March 1, 2018. http://freedomsway.org/womens-history-month-sarah-bradlee-fulton/.]

Another influential woman during this time in history was Abigail Adams. She was one of the world’s first advocates for women’s rights. At the point where the Declaration of Independence was being written Abigail Adams is most famous for the letters, she wrote to her husband John Adams on March 31, 1776. Famous for her words, “I desire you would 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.[footnoteRef:3]” Throughout the letters, she also threatened rebellion if such “care and attention” is not paid toward women. She discusses that women will not be willing to follow laws when they do not have a voice in them. Actions like this took a lot of courage and were one of the pivotal moments for women. Making sure that they would be remembered in a man’s world. [3: Letter from Abigail Adams to John Adams, 31 March – 5 April 1776 [electronic edition]. Adams Family Papers: An Electronic Archive. Massachusetts Historical Society. http://www.masshist.org/digitaladams/]

Judith Sargent Murray was another women’s rights activist that during the 1790s focused on discrepancies of men and women. She argued that she could do anything that men could do. She wanted to know why as a female was, she inferior to males, not just her, but all women in this time when they could do anything men were capable of. Murray was well known for her articles in the Massachusetts Magazine. In an article written by Murray called On the Equality of the Sexes, she goes from poem to letter expressing her opinions on inequalities. “Yes, ye lordly, ye haughty sex, our souls are by nature equal to yours; the same breath of God animates, enlivens, and invigorates us; and that we are not fallen lower than yourselves.[footnoteRef:4]” During this time women were not allowed to express their opinions and were never truly taken seriously. In 1792, Murray decided to create a new column for the magazine by taking on a male persona to be able to observe how she was treated. [4: Murray, Judith Sargent. “On the Equality of the Sexes.” The Massachusetts Magazine. National Humanities Center, 1790. http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/livingrev/equality/text5/sargent.pdf. Page.4.]

Just two years before the first women’s rights convention in Seneca Falls, 1848, six different women showed up from Jefferson County to sign a petition asking for the rights that have been withheld from them. They stated that as citizens of New York they deserved the same rights and were there to claim them for women. The six women included Eleanor Vincent, Lydia A. Williams, Lydia Osborn, Susan Ormsby, and Anna Bishop[footnoteRef:5]. Women’s rights have not been something that women take lightly because they fell like they are not being included in society. It was important to most of the women living in these times to try and have a voice even though many were scared to speak up. [5: “History of Suffrage.” History of Suffrage, Jefferson County, New York. Accessed November 18, 2019. http://stlawrence.aauw-nys.org/jeffcnty.htm.]

Up until the mid-1800s women were still being treated unfairly and used as property when married. Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott started the movement of women’s rights in New York City in 1848 to change all of this. As of July 19th, and 20th, 1848 more than 300 women and men signed the Declaration of Sentiments. This document was a plea for the end of discrimination against women in the United States. It was also the first time in history that men and women showed up to fight for the same cause publicly. The Declaration of Sentiments listed 18 specific grievances that explained the inequalities of men and women. The main argument behind this document was that the Declaration of Independence applied to all men and women alike, so women should have all the rights men do. This particular document was also followed by a list of resolutions stating that women should be allowed to speak in public, have equal treatment under the law, and be granted the right to vote[footnoteRef:6]. It also listed that they wanted equal education, equality in marriage, be able to own their own property, hold the same jobs as men, and be able to testify in a court[footnoteRef:7]. [6: Frost-Knappman, Elizabeth and Kathryn Cullen-DuPont. Women’s Suffrage in America. New York, NY: Facts On File, 2005. Pages.72-74] [7: Stanton, Elizabeth Cady. “Declaration of Sentiments”, (1848). Accessed October 6, 2019. https://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/stantonsent.html.]

Emotions were high on July 19th, 1848. Women had never been able to share their opinions or make any kind of civil protest for equal rights before. It became a big deal to show strength and support for the cause. During the convention, Lucretia Mott introduced the convention and Elizabeth Stanton gave the first speech. Both of these women are well known in history for standing up for what they believed was right and helped pave the way for women in a male-dominated society. These women first met at a convention for slavery issues and both were turned away for being women. Later let into the convention only to be told to sit in the back and keep their mouths shut. Conspiring together after this was a great strength and bonded them together to make this huge movement possible for all women. As votes were cast, many feared the repercussions of this movement. But little by little the Declaration of Sentiments passed, sixty-eight women and thirty-two men. With this small victory, women still had a long way to go facing ridicule, but all in all, women were successful and this started many new conversations among states regarding the roles and rights of women in society.

Women’s roles in civil society changed drastically in the span of the 1700s and 1800s. In these hard times, women had to have very high amounts of confidence, pride, and determination to be able to fight the system. Being treated as less in a society full of men made it hard for their voices to be heard anywhere. These women allowed for the evolution of ideas when it came to what women were capable of accomplishing. Through their struggles, victory’s and story’s history was paved for all women. It makes it clearer about what a changing society looked like before and throughout the American Revolution when it came to the participation of women. Although women’s rights have not always been smooth sailing, many women have worked incredibly hard to pave the way for women’s rights and important roles in society.

Annotated Bibliography

Primary Sources:

Stanton, Elizabeth Cady. “Declaration of Sentiments”, (1848). Accessed October 6, 2019. https://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/stantonsent.html.

The Declaration of Sentiments was written by Elizabeth Cady Stanton in 1848. This was a document written as a plea for women to have equal rights. This is a primary source because it was written by Stanton herself. I chose this source because it explained what the first women’s movement was all about and showed what women were fighting for in the mid 1800’s. I used this resource as the ending to my paper. It helped provide a good ending when I was explaining women’s roles and rights in society. This source is credible given that it is a typed replica of the exact document written by Stanton.

“Primary Source: Abigail and John Adams Converse on Women’s Rights, 1776.” Lumen. Massachusetts Historical Society. Accessed November 16, 2019. https://courses.lumenlearning.com/ushistory1os/chapter/primary-source-abigail-and-john- adams-converse-on-womens-rights-1776/

This source is a digital copy of the letters that were shared between Abigail and John Adams in 1776. While John Adams was away helping the continental congress in 1776, Abigail wrote him a series of letters telling him to remember women while they were writing up the constitution. She is known as one of the first female activists for women’s rights. This source was a great example for my paper because it showed the exact conversations where Abigail Adams was stating that women needed to be included into society just as much as men did. It was used to show how women knew they were being treated unfairly and explain why women were more determined to have a voice in a male- dominated society. This source is credible because they were letters written between Abigail and John having conversations while they were apart.

Secondary Source:

Frost-Knappman, Elizabeth and Kathryn Cullen-DuPont. Women’s Suffrage in America. New York, NY: Facts On File, 2005.

The Women’s Suffrage in America is a book written about women’s rights in the 1800’s and later. It lines out what women were looking for leading up to the first women’s rights convention in 1848. This book also outlines what was happening in England at this particular time as well. I used this source as background information to help me write my paper. It led me to several stories in my paper and helped create a baseline. It was an in- depth source that explained women’s rights. I believe that this source was credible because it did not have any opinions and focused solely on events and when they happened. It also listed how women felt at this time and where they were headed in society.

McMillen, Sally G. Seneca Falls and the Origins of the Women’s Rights Movement. New York: Oxford University Press, 2009.

This source is a book written about the first women’s rights convention. It outlines all of the dates, times, and locations of how the convention came to be. It was used in my paper for specific details regarding the event to show how and what women were fighting for in 1848. Throughout her book there are no opinions and she focuses on certain women’s lives through the process, I believe this site is credible. All facts line up when I fact checked with other sources.

Murray, Judith Sargent. “On the Equality of the Sexes.” The Massachusetts Magazine. National Humanities Center, 1790. http://nationalhumanitiescenter.org/pds/livingrev/equality/text5/sargent.pdf.

This poem/article written by Judith Murray was written to show the inequalities between men and women from her point of view. The first half is a poem directed at men and the rest is an article she wrote to express why she did not believe that women should be inferior to men in all aspects of life. This source was important for my paper because it explained a women’s perspective of what it was like to live in the 1790s. This source is credible because it was written by Murray and just copied to an online publication. Murray lived from 1751-1820 in an environment where she was treated inferior to her brother, this led her to write this article later in her life. She was a big women’s rights activists and that fits into my paper because she is a true example of how women fought for their rights in the late 1700s.

“Women’s History Month: Sarah Bradlee Fulton.” Freedom’s Way National Heritage Area, March 1, 2018. http://freedomsway.org/womens-history-month-sarah-bradlee-fulton/.

Sarah Bradlee Fulton was one of the most influential women during the revolution. This source worked very well into my paper because it explained all about Fulton and her mission when it came to women’s rights. I used this paper as an example of a great woman that worked hard to do her part for women in the 1700 and 1800s. I believe this site is credible because it has no opinions, is clear and concise and is celebrating her for women’s history month. The source is clear and gives great examples of what Fulton achieved in her life time.

“Colonists Respond to the Stamp Act,1765-1766.” America In Class. National Humanities Center, n.d. http://americainclass.org/sources/makingrevolution/crisis/text3/stampactresponse1765.pd f.

This source is an explanation of how the colonist responded to the stamp act in 1765- 1767. It explains how specific people reacted to the acts and specific churches as well. The focus of this documents was page 11 it explained how the sons and daughters of liberty responded to the acts. It helped me know specifically what women’s responses were and helped me to write the part of my paper before the revolution section. It added a lot of depth to my paper and helped to explain clearly why the women stopped buying goods. I think this is credible given that they are digital copies of original articles published in 1765.

1. Michals, Debra. ‘Judith Sargent Murray.’ National Women’s History Museum. 2015.
2. https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/judith-sargent-murray
3. Cogan, Jacob Katz, and Lori D. Ginzberg. ‘1846 Petition for Woman’s Suffrage, New York State Constitutional Convention.’ Signs 22, no. 2 (1997): 427-39. www.jstor.org/stable/3175283.
4. “History of Suffrage.” History of Suffrage, Jefferson County, New York. Accessed November 18, 2019. http://stlawrence.aauw-nys.org/jeffcnty.htm.

U.S. Presidents’ Wives in shaping America’s Value and Equality

There is no doubt that women play an influential role in the U.S. political climate today, and female citizens have the freedom to partake in congress while having equal opportunity to win a seat in the senate. However, history has proven that things were not always as equal to what is perceived today. Before the 1760s, American women were seen as having no legitimate public role, and husbands have total control over their wives’ property and whatever the wives produced or earned. While the standard narratives of U.S. history were largely based on colonialism and its factual achievements in its institution, language, and culture, few historical voices focused on the rights of women in shaping America’s political climate today. This paper aims to provide an alternative view of the U.S. history by drawing the focus on two women, Abigail Adams and Dolley Madison, and their contribution in shaping the modern-day equality as U.S. presidents’ wives.

The contribution of Abigail Adams was significant due to the unique political and social settings during her time. After independence, America carried on the traditional English marriage law, in which women had no property rights or political voice. Such conditions surged the demand for a revolution. As the wife of John Adams, the second president of the United States, Abigail was well aware of the fact that men and women had equal intellects but unequal educational and political opportunities. In the prevention of a revolution led by women, she wrote to her husband in 1776 addressing various concerns in shaping the country’s future. She states in the letter that the congress should “not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands,” who traditionally held “near-absolute authority over their wives’ property and persons.” This serves as a critical statement in acknowledging women’s rights and the notions of liberty while concluding her views on building a new nation. This also shows that she was practically vocal in expressing her views despite the unsupportive political climate she was in. In the same letter, she also warned her husband about the revolutionary incentives of women by saying: “If particular care and attention is not paid to the Ladies, we are determined to foment a Rebellion, and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation.” This evidence shows her understanding of the fact that oppression will eventually lead to revolution, and such oppression was seen in slavery which eventually led to the American Civil War. Her letter to the president serves as a milestone in foreseeing the age of revolution while predicting the uprising among women, and such prediction was answered by Women’s Suffrage beginning in the late 19th century and Women’s Rights Movement during the 1960s.

While providing guidelines to the president in establishing the nation’s future, Abigail Adams sets a positive example of American motherhood by valuing education and individuality. Although education was almost exclusively available to men during her time, she managed to remain educated and raise five virtuous children. She made sure all of her children were raised to be independent thinkers, and one of them, John Quincy Adams, even became the sixth president of the United States. Her take on the value of equality and education heavily influenced her child as the future president, which further enhanced the foundation of a newly established America.

As the guidance of the president, Abigail Adams represented the early revolutionary stage of women’s rights and education. Dolley Madison (wife of James Madison), on the other hand, symbolized courage and strength in American women. This courage and strength can be found when the British initiated a land invasion against the United States in 1814 due to Napoleon’s defeat, which resulted in the occupation of British troops in Washington, D.C. By august of the same year, Washington was set on fire due to the invasion, and the White House did not escape the burning fate. During this critical moment, Madison stayed in Washington to ensure the safety of presidential documents and a portrait of George Washington. Despite the danger of being burned or killed, Madison refused to leave unless she was able to take the documents and the portrait with her. Her actions show that she understood the White House spirit, as the official documents resembled the existence of the United States and the portrait symbolized the independence of the nation. The things she placed before her own life represents the idea that although the White House is burned to ashes, the American spirit remains, and as long as the American spirit remains, everything that was destroyed will be rebuild. Her choice of action during a moment of crisis became a monumental example of America’s First Lady, as she solidified the values of the nation by putting her own life at risk.

The significance of Madison’s action during the British invasion proved that the role of the First Lady can help bring the nation together during challenging times, and she helped to identify the modern role of the First Lady which was to maintain pride and nationalism regardless of the difficulties the nation may face. Although her actions were unrelated to Women’s Suffrage, she simultaneously solidified women’s position politically by being a strong political figure. The aftershock of her actions led to Women’s Suffrage during the early 19th century, when women demanded more political freedom by gaining the right to vote.

Euro-American voices routinely dominate in most U.S. history textbooks by highlighting European colonization and its achievements in social and political aspects. Part of the reason for this phenomenon is the fact that the native American people had no written language to record the pre-history before European colonization, which led to a large blank page in most of the U.S. history books. Slaves also had no voice in shaping history books due to the lack of education and basic human rights. Much similar to slaves, women were also seen as properties in a newly found America in which they had no rights to education and no voice in the political arena. This means that most history books were written from a Euro-American perspective since only Euro-American males had the right to education during the early stage of American history. However, as this paper demonstrates, women play a critical role in shaping equality as well as establishing the modern societal values of America. Abigail Adams and Dolley Madison both serve as prime examples of women who constructed modern American standards and values, and they are decisive figures in shaping the political and social aspects of the U.S. today.