The Presidents' Wives and the Presidents

The wives of US presidents can be influential American figures in their own right. Though they've no legitimate duties, the wives constitute a very important element of the US government. The job of first ladies has developed over many hundreds of years, from hostess in the Whitehouse to activists for public policy. What follows can be described as a summing up of 2 incredibly well known first ladies and their respective husbands, but further information may be found on them in history books to read. Mary Lincoln: Mary Ann Todd was born in Kentucky in December 1818 to a notable slave-holding family. Relocation to Illinois when in her teenage years was fortuitous as it was there that she was to meet and marry a budding politician and attorney, Abraham Lincoln. Their marriage produced 4 sons, although just two of them, Thomas and Robert, lived to old age. In November 1860, Lincoln was elected the 16th President of the United States. This caused a lot of southern states to break away from the Union. The majority of Kentuckians included in the Todd's social circle, and in fact her stepfamily, were allied to the southern cause, but Mary was a wholehearted and unstinting follower of the Union. Mary was sitting next to the president in a theatre when he was murdered by an assassin. President Lincoln passed away the following day and Mary Todd Lincoln never quite recovered. Mary went back to Illinois and, upon the death of her son Thomas in 1871, fell into a serious depression. Mary's only living son, Robert, had her committed to an insane asylum. She was freed 3 months later, although it was impossible for her to forgive him for his actions. Mary spent her later years travelling in Europe, though she suffered from failing health. She died on 16 July 1882 at age 63. Abigail Adams: Born Abigail Smith on 11 November 1744 in Massachusetts, daughter of a minister. She was a writer and keen reader, liking especially the writings of Shakespeare and Milton. Abigail was unable to attend school as that was the norm for girls around this time. In 1761 she was to meet a lawyer named John Adams and in 1765 decided to get wed. They had 4 kids, one of whom was John Quincy Adams, who became the 6th president of the United States of America seven years after Abigail's death in 1825.

Due to a hectic law practice and John's later involvement with the American Revolution, her husband spent a lot of time away from home, leaving Abigail to deal with their farm and care for the family single-handedly. The couple remained strong by writing letters to each other, of which there were many. It was in one of these letters, Abigail articulated her fear for ladies and requested that her husband would not put limitless control into the hands of men - stating every man would be despots if they could. She ventured to say: "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." Abigail regularly expressed her feelings on political matters with her husband and acted as an unauthorised counsellor to him all the way through his career. Following the revolution, Abigail Adams united with her husband in England where he worked as the 1st American minister to the Court of St James from 1785 to 1788. When he returned from England, John Adams was voted president in 1797 and Abigail was widely hated by several critics who were annoyed with her due to her lavish spending throughout the Civil War, her outspokenness and the influence Abigail could wield over the president. Additional information on first ladies, the presidents themselves and also American history can be found in books on history and likewise in biographies books.