Hayley Boyles

Period 4

Abigail Adams
Throughout history, risk takers have been exposed all over the world trying to make a
difference. It seems like when all is lost, that one hero shows up, risking everything. When
people were being held back in chains, there was the wanted Moses to the rescue. When the
United States was being torn apart by one debate, the famous Abe Lincoln saves the country and
is killed for what he accomplished. Because I am accustomed with these risk takers, I applaud
their accomplishments, but mine are the greatest. I didnt die for my cause like the courageous
Martin Luther, but I believe that the greatest risk taker of all time was me, Abigail Adams. In my
lifetime, no woman was as outgoing and as confident as me. I was the eyes and ears of every
American and it wasnt easy either. I felt the need to express myself in a way that no one else
could even attempt. I am the greatest risk taker because I stood up for slavery and womens
rights and wrote letters back and forth to my husband, John Adams about politics.
For one thing, I took the most risks because I stood up for slavery and womens rights.
When my husband John Adams was elected president in 1797, I knew that it was time to make
my move. I stood up for myself, my beliefs, my family, and my country. For that, John called
me a heroine. In 1776, I sent John my letter Remember the Ladies, asking him to consider
womens rights when the new laws were established. I was a very outspoken woman. I was
unquestionably politically minded and stood up for those who lacked power such as slaves and
women. Although my husband never took my ideas about women and slavery seriously, times
were critical and dangerous, so he needed me there to assist him. Not to mention, my theories
became more known and more people started to like my ideas. [I] wrote many books including
The Building up a Great Empire, that shared [my] ideas as well as the publics thoughts on
politics (Abigailadamsbirthplace.com). My literary pieces helped create the society people see
today. According to Professor Lauren Klien (2012) millions of Americans have read and still
read [my] writing to this day and in age and ideas and principles are exposed. This quote
signifies the way that many people adored my works. My actions basically started the womens
suffrage movement and my hard work paid off because Congress amended the constitution to
grant women the right to vote in 1919. Although my literature pieces on slavery and womens
rights were famous, most of my most memorable works come from the political letters that my
husband and I wrote back and forth.
Additionally, I have taken the most risks because I wrote many letters back and forth to
my husband, John Adams that shared our ideas on politics. Times were not easy while I was
alive. The Revolutionary War was taking place right before my eyes and I was putting myself
and my family in danger by updating my husband on the war. Before John was president, he was
an important politician during the Independence Movement. When he left for Philadelphia to
serve in Continental Congress, the separation between us started the lifelong correspondence of
letters between the two of us. Our letters could have been intercepted by the enemy, but I didnt
care. I supported John all throughout the war. According to (Nationalfirstladieslibrary.com)[I]
wrote thousands of letters to him while having to raise [our] five children on [my] own in
Massachusetts. In my letters, I kept him informed of the wars impact on every day people and
he shared important war politics and plans with me. In a way, I served as Johns eyes and ears on

Hayley Boyles
Period 4

the ground while he kept focused on the war. My actions took guts and persistence. I was an
ordinary woman and no one would have guessed that I was weighed into politics until after I
became a First Lady. I had a notable influence on my husbands career. I went with him on his
journeys in Europe and gave him advice. I even gave him encouragement in my letters that I
wrote him while he was away. [My] letters and memoirs of the Revolutionary era are
considered to be major historical documents (AmericanHistoryCentral.com). No one risked
their social status, family, and sometimes own life and still accomplish many wonders like I did.
When I stood up for womens rights and slavery and wrote letters back and forth to my
husband about politics and the war, I was risking it all, making me the greatest risk taker in
history. It wasnt easy for me to put myself as well as my family out there when I stood up for
what I strongly believed in. I always said, If we mean to have heroes, statesmen and
philosophers, we should have learned women. This is one of my famous quotes and it means
that women should have had rights to begin with but my many works and risks contributed to the
amendment to the constitution that women would be allowed to vote. It has been almost 200
years now since my time has passed, and thousands of people remember me as a national hero in
American history. I was a woman and I still made it happen with my determination to change
the face of America. There is no one that topped my attitude and outspoken works throughout
my life. I may have passed two centuries ago, but the legacy I lived and the risks I took live on
forever. Long live all the famous ladies that have chosen and continue to choose to follow in my
footsteps.

Works Cited
Abigail Adams Historical Society www.Abigailadamsbirthplace.com/net
Professor Lauren Klien 2012 www.FormationsofAmericanculture.com/net
A&E Networks 2015 www.history.com/topics/first-ladies/abigail-adams
National First Ladies Library www.firstladies.org/biographies/firstladies.aspx?biography=2
Randal Rust 2015 www.americanhistorycentral.com/entry.php?rec=460