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Learn about the life and achievements of the first president of the United States.

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Learn about the life and achievements of this Founding Father of the United States.

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Who Is Betsy Ross? | The History of Betsy Ross for Kids

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George III: The King Who Lost the Colonies

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(1738-1820). The long, and mostly unhappy, reign of King George III of Great Britain lasted from 1760 to 1820. The first of the Hanoverian kings to be born and brought up in England, he was determined to be an effective king. He was, however, faced with problems too great for him to solve. Today he is remembered mainly as the king who lost the American colonies.

George William Frederick was born in London on June 4 (May 24 on the calendar used then), 1738. He was the son of Frederick Louis, prince of Wales, and the grandson of King George II. Frederick Louis died when George was 12, leaving the boy heir to the throne. He became king upon the death of George II in 1760.

George chose as his chief minister John Stuart, 3rd earl of Bute. From the start Bute, as a Scotsman, was widely disliked in England. He aroused further hostility by forcing the resignation of William Pitt the Elder, the creator of England's successful strategy in the Seven Years' War. Bute negotiated the peace ending the war, but, having failed to create a stable administration, he resigned in 1763.

The expense of the war had put England in a state of financial distress. George supported Parliament's attempts to raise funds by taxing the American colonies, which stirred resentment and resistance among the colonists. Lord North, who took office as prime minister in 1770, continued the policies that led to the outbreak of the American Revolution in 1775. In the Declaration of Independence, Thomas Jefferson attacked George and called him a tyrant. With North, George was blamed for prolonging the war and ultimately for losing the colonies.

In 1783 North joined with Charles James Fox to form a coalition government in opposition to George. The king reasserted his power when North and Fox planned to take control of the East India Company, which governed the British colony of India. The king forced them to resign and reaffirmed his control by installing a new "patriotic" prime minister, William Pitt the Younger. George supported Pitt until fears of uprisings against British rule in Ireland caused Pitt to propose granting full civil rights to Roman Catholics. The king's strong opposition led to Pitt's resignation in 1801.

In the 1780s George became very ill. Modern doctors think that he may have suffered from a disease called porphyria, which made him hallucinate. At the time, people called his condition madness. George recovered, but during his final years he was increasingly incapacitated by poor health. By 1811 he was both insane and blind. For nine years his son, Prince George, ruled as regent. George III died at Windsor Castle on January 29, 1820, and the prince became King George IV.

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(1738-1820). The long, and mostly unhappy, reign of King George III of Great Britain lasted from 1760 to 1820. The first of the Hanoverian kings to be born and brought up in...

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Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757-July 12, 1804) is one of America's most influential Founding Fathers. In his short life, he served as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, was the first U.S. secretary of the treasury, and established the nation's first national bank. But Hamilton was not born into power. He worked his way to the top.

Alexander Hamilton was born on January 11, 1755 or 1757, on Nevis. It's an island in the British West Indies. His father, James, left his mother in 1765. As a result, Hamilton grew up poor. At 11, he had his first job. He worked as an accounting clerk. This taught him about business. His boss was impressed by his ability.

When Hamilton was 13, his mother became ill and died. His boss wanted to help him. So he raised money and sent young Hamilton to America.

At 15, Hamilton attended a private high school in Elizabeth, New Jersey. In the fall of 1773, he entered King's College (later renamed Columbia University). Hamilton took his studies seriously. But he left school before graduation to join protests against the British. The Revolutionary War started in 1775. The next year Hamilton was made a captain in the military. He rose through the ranks and became a trusted adviser to George Washington.

Building a United Nation

After his war service, Hamilton went on to became a lawyer. In 1784, he founded the Bank of New York. Three years later, Hamilton was invited to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to take part in the Constitutional Convention. The purpose of the meeting was to form a new national government.

After the Constitution was drafted, all 13 colonies had to agree to it. Hamilton worked with James Madison, a delegate from Virginia, and John Jay, secretary of foreign affairs, to get it approved. They wrote 85 essays to defend the constitution. Those writings would later be titled The Federalist Papers. The essays got people's attention. The Constitution passed on September 17, 1787. It wasn't until after Hamilton's death that people learned that he was one of the authors. In fact, Hamilton wrote more than half of the collected essays.

In 1789, George Washington became the first president of the United States. He asked Hamilton to serve as secretary of the treasury. One of Hamilton's most important tasks was to figure out a way to pay off the country's war debt. According to his plan, the first step would be for the government to take on debts owed by individual states.

At the same time, there was debate about where the new nation's capital should be. Some wanted Philadelphia. Others thought it should remain in New York City. Still others pushed for a capital in the South.

To come to a decision, Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison met in New York City. They made a secret deal. Madison would tell Southerners to support Hamilton's debt plan, and not the one Jefferson had proposed. In return, Hamilton would convince New Yorkers to support having in the U.S. capital in the South.

The deal worked. Washington, D.C., was selected as the nation's capital, and the federal government took on the states' war debts.

Problems in Politics

Although some people did not like or respect Hamilton, he continued to be involved in politics. When Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr tied in the presidential election of 1800, Hamilton supported Jefferson.

When Burr ran for governor of New York, in 1804, Hamilton again spoke out against him. Burr believed Hamilton had cost him another election and challenged him to a duel.

On July 11, Burr shot and killed Hamilton in Weehawken, New Jersey. Hamilton's wife, Elizabeth Schuyler, lived for 50 years after his death and worked to preserve his memory.

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Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757-July 12, 1804) is one of America's most influential Founding Fathers. In his short life, he served as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, was the first U.S. secretary of the treasury, and established...

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George Washington for Kids | First President of the United States

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🇺🇸 Read Aloud | I Am George Washington by Brad Meltzer | CozyTimeTales

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Alexander Hamilton: A Plan for America 🇺🇸 Hamilton for Kids Read Aloud (& SUNG!)

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Now and Ben - Benjamin Franklin, Modern Inventor! NONfiction read aloud

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📚 I Am Benjamin Franklin Read Aloud | CozyTimeTales

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“A Picture Book of Benjamin Franklin” By David Adler

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George vs George: The American Revolution as seen from Both Sides, by Rosalyn Schanzer (book reading

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Ben Franklin - My First Biography - Words w/ Music

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Alexander Hamilton for Kids | Bedtime History

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George Washington for Kids | First President of the United States

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Twinkl Teaching Resources - United States

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Who Was George Washington? | First President of the USA: Biography & Facts

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Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757-July 12, 1804) is one of America's most influential Founding Fathers. In his short life, he served as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, was the first U.S. secretary of the treasury, and established the nation's first national bank. But Hamilton was not born into power. He worked his way to the top.

Alexander Hamilton was born on January 11, 1755 or 1757, on Nevis. It's an island in the British West Indies. His father, James, left his mother in 1765. As a result, Hamilton grew up poor. At 11, he had his first job. He worked as an accounting clerk. This taught him about business. His boss was impressed by his ability.

When Hamilton was 13, his mother became ill and died. His boss wanted to help him. So he raised money and sent young Hamilton to America.

At 15, Hamilton attended a private high school in Elizabeth, New Jersey. In the fall of 1773, he entered King's College (later renamed Columbia University). Hamilton took his studies seriously. But he left school before graduation to join protests against the British. The Revolutionary War started in 1775. The next year Hamilton was made a captain in the military. He rose through the ranks and became a trusted adviser to George Washington.

Building a United Nation

After his war service, Hamilton went on to became a lawyer. In 1784, he founded the Bank of New York. Three years later, Hamilton was invited to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to take part in the Constitutional Convention. The purpose of the meeting was to form a new national government.

After the Constitution was drafted, all 13 colonies had to agree to it. Hamilton worked with James Madison, a delegate from Virginia, and John Jay, secretary of foreign affairs, to get it approved. They wrote 85 essays to defend the constitution. Those writings would later be titled The Federalist Papers. The essays got people's attention. The Constitution passed on September 17, 1787. It wasn't until after Hamilton's death that people learned that he was one of the authors. In fact, Hamilton wrote more than half of the collected essays.

In 1789, George Washington became the first president of the United States. He asked Hamilton to serve as secretary of the treasury. One of Hamilton's most important tasks was to figure out a way to pay off the country's war debt. According to his plan, the first step would be for the government to take on debts owed by individual states.

At the same time, there was debate about where the new nation's capital should be. Some wanted Philadelphia. Others thought it should remain in New York City. Still others pushed for a capital in the South.

To come to a decision, Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison met in New York City. They made a secret deal. Madison would tell Southerners to support Hamilton's debt plan, and not the one Jefferson had proposed. In return, Hamilton would convince New Yorkers to support having in the U.S. capital in the South.

The deal worked. Washington, D.C., was selected as the nation's capital, and the federal government took on the states' war debts.

Problems in Politics

Although some people did not like or respect Hamilton, he continued to be involved in politics. When Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr tied in the presidential election of 1800, Hamilton supported Jefferson.

When Burr ran for governor of New York, in 1804, Hamilton again spoke out against him. Burr believed Hamilton had cost him another election and challenged him to a duel.

On July 11, Burr shot and killed Hamilton in Weehawken, New Jersey. Hamilton's wife, Elizabeth Schuyler, lived for 50 years after his death and worked to preserve his memory.

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Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757-July 12, 1804) is one of America's most influential Founding Fathers. In his short life, he served as a delegate to the Constitutional Convention, was the first U.S. secretary of the treasury, and established...

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Benjamin Franklin (January 17, 1706-April 17, 1790) was a scientist, an inventor, a writer, and a statesman. He helped draft the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston on January 17, 1706. He learned to read at an early age. But his father, Josiah Franklin, pulled him out of school when he was 10 years old. He sent Ben to work in the family candle and soap shop. Ben grew restless with the work. When he turned 12, his father sent him to work in a printer's shop. It was owned by Ben's older brother, James.

Ben learned all about the newspaper business. At the time, printing was done by hand. The printer laid out the page letter by letter on a printing press. Ben learned how to build sentences with care. He also learned to write. He wrote political essays. He did not sign his name to the essays. Instead, he signed them Silence Dogood. This was so readers would think they were written by an ordinary person in the town. But his brother James did not want Ben to write. He often beat him. So at 16, Ben fled to Philadelphia. He would call the city home for the rest of his life.

Ambition and Invention

Franklin became known in Philadelphia as a hardworking young man. In 1728, he and a friend opened a print shop. Then in 1729, he bought the Pennsylvania Gazette. He turned it into the most widely read newspaper in the American colonies. At the time, newspapers were the best way to spread ideas. Newspapers spread the ideas that would eventually bring about the American Revolution.

Over the years, Franklin became even more well-known. In 1732, he began publishing the yearly Poor Richard's Almanack. He wrote in the voice of a farmer named Poor Richard. The almanac contained weather forecasts, information about astronomy, poetry, and other amusements. It became famous for its folksy proverbs. Two of the most famous proverbs are "No pains without gains" and "Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise."

Benjamin Franklin and associates at Franklin's printing press.

Franklin became one of the richest men in Pennsylvania. In 1748, he retired from the print business. He wanted to devote his time to science. His famous kite-and-key experiment in 1752 demonstrated that lighting was electricity. He invented the lightning rod. Some of the terms he coined are still used today, such as battery, charge, and electrify. He also invented bifocal eyeglasses and maybe even the first rocking chair.

Founding Father

In 1751, Franklin was elected as a representative to the Pennsylvania Assembly. He was reelected every year until 1764.

In March 1765, the British government passed the Stamp Act. This made the North American colonists angry. The act required that the colonists pay a tax on printed materials. The colonists used a lot of printed material. They used print documents for business and legal matters. At the time, Franklin was living in London. He was Pennsylvania's agent in Britain. He went before the British Parliament to condemn the tax. The bill was repealed in 1766.

Franklin was elected to the Second Continental Congress in 1775. He believed the American colonies should separate from English rule. In 1776, he joined a committee to draft the Declaration of Independence. He then traveled to France. There, he negotiated a treaty. France agreed to lend the colonies money and soldiers to fight the war against Britain. After the war, Franklin went to Britain with John Adams and John Jay. They negotiated terms of peace with Britain. This led to the Treaty of Paris in 1783.

In 1787, Franklin represented the state of Pennsylvania at the Constitutional Convention. The purpose of the convention was to draft the U.S. Constitution. At 81, he was the oldest delegate. He went on to serve as president of the Pennsylvania Society for Promoting the Abolition of Slavery. Franklin once owned a slave. But in 1790, he urged Congress to abolish slavery in the U.S.

Franklin died on April 17, 1790, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His memoirs were published the following year. They are known today as The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin.

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Benjamin Franklin (January 17, 1706-April 17, 1790) was a scientist, an inventor, a writer, and a statesman. He helped draft the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution. Benjamin Franklin was born in Boston on January 17, 1706. He learned...

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The American Revolution

King George was now facing the threat of widespread rebellion in the North American colonies. The Continental Congress, which had been meeting since September of 1774, was debating how to supply this new provincial army and who should lead it. On June 14, 1775, the Second Continental Congress appointed George Washington to assume command of the disorganized militias that had surrounded Boston a month prior. But it was not in time. On June 17, 1775, General William Howe launched an assault on Charlestown and Breed's Hill just north of Boston. The battle opened with a barrage from British warships stationed around the colonial entrenchments at Breed's Hill. Taking command of the Continental Army was Israel Putnam, who ordered the militiamen to stand their ground against the assault. It would take the British regulars three frontal assaults to secure a victory at Bunker Hill.

Now, it was apparent to all that this would be a long and costly war. Following the appointment of George Washington to lead the Continental Army, the Second Continental Congress drafted a Declaration of Causes stating why it was necessary to take up armed resistance against the British Army. In addition, they assumed the role of government by issuing paper money to pay for the troops, and even assigned a committee to negotiate with foreign powers. While doing so, members of the Continental Congress still clung to the hope that there could be reconciliation between the thirteen colonies and the mother country.

In May of 1775, only weeks after the Battles of Lexington and Concord, members of the Continental Congress debated sending King George an Olive Branch Petition. John Dickinson of Pennsylvania believed that the opening of hostilities was due to a misunderstanding. Dickinson, like many of his eighteenth century contemporaries, believed that a group of wicked ministers clouded the King's judgment, and if the colonies wrote to him directly, he might understand that it was not the fault of the North American colonists, but the English Parliament. John Adams on the other hand believed that war was inevitable, and the petition would not be well received.

Richard Penn and Arthur Lee left for England with the petition in hand, and arrived on August 21, 1775. They first met with Lord Dartmouth, the Secretary of State for the North American colonies. But their real objective was to bring the petition to King George so they could state their case. The king rejected them on the grounds that the Continental Congress was an unlawful assembly, and their dealings up to that point had been illegal.

By now, King George and Parliament had learned of the Battle of Bunker Hill, and the continued encirclement of Boston by the nascent Continental Army. But the King was more concerned with the mixed messages he was receiving from the Continental Congress. While delegates to the Continental Congress were debating the Olive Branch Petition in May, John Adams wrote a letter to a friend expressing the inevitability of war. In this letter, he suggested that the colonists should capture royal officials, and build a navy to protect the eastern seaboard. This letter was in the hands of King George only days before Arthur Lee and Richard Penn arrived in England. John Adams' belligerent tone undermined all efforts by patriots to reach a peaceful accord with Parliament and King George III. By the time Lee and Penn were received, King George understood that all of the colonists were taking up arms against the Crown.

In response to the petition, on August 23 the king issued A Proclamation for Suppressing Rebellion and Sedition. The royal proclamation declared that the colonies were in a state of rebellion, and that the Crown would do its utmost to bring an end to hostilities. King George blamed the delegates of the Continental Congress stating the colonists were "misled by dangerous and ill-designing men." Further, the king announced that the Crown will "accordingly strictly charge and command all of Our Officers as well Civil as Military; and all Our obedient and loyal subjects, to use their utmost Endeavors to withstand and suppress such rebellion." The British government and the North American colonies were now at war.

In the early days of the conflict, the colonists struggled to wage war effectively. But in May 1775, Ethan Allen and Benedict Arnold seized a retinue of canons from Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point. By March of 1776, these canons were in the hands of George Washington, who took them to Dorchester Heights overlooking Boston, and aimed them at the British force occupying the town. General Howe planned to lead a force to retake the heights, but due to bad weather, he was forced to reconsider. On March 17, General Howe and the British Army evacuated the Shawmut Peninsula, leaving Boston in the hands of the Continental Army.

In August of 1776, Howe and his force reappeared off the coast of New York. Howe planned to seize New York from the Continental Army, where he would be able to regroup, and then march his army north to meet General Burgoyne who was leading a sizeable force down from Quebec. As Burgoyne moved south through the thick brush of the countryside, he was intercepted at Saratoga, where he was decisively defeated on October 7, 1777. This victory gave the Continental Army hope, as France now joined the Americans in the War of Independence. Shortly after, Spain and the Dutch Republic joined the United States and France in their fight against the British Empire.

In spite of this King George was encouraged by Howe's success in New York. George Washington and the Continental Army were on the retreat, and Howe's force was numerically superior. In the winter of 1777-78, George Washington hunkered down at Valley Forge, his army on the brink of collapse. Although the British Army was vastly superior in numbers as in martial talent, Howe did not follow up his victories. In June of 1778, Washington's Army emerged from the cold and sickness that characterized Valley Forge with a reinvigorated fighting spirit. On October 19, 1781, a Franco-American forced surrounded the British Army by land and sea at Yorktown, effectively ending any chances for a British victory in North America. In 1783, the Treaty of Paris secured a victory for the United States.

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King George III Biography | King George III Facts

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King George was now facing the threat of widespread rebellion in the North American colonies. The Continental Congress, which had been meeting since September of 1774, was debating how to supply this new provincial army and who should lead it.

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The Story of Abigail Adams | Simple History

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Abigail Adams was the wife of President John Adams and the mother of President John Quincy Adams. Her reading and her family life gave her a good understanding of politics. She strongly favored American independence and universal liberty. She was also determined to overcome the limits that were placed on women at the time.

Abigail Smith was born on November 22, 1744, in Weymouth, Massachusetts. As a girl she studied the books in her father's large library. Women could not go to college then, but Abigail received a good education at home.

In 1759 Abigail met the young lawyer John Adams. They shared interests in reading, writing, and politics. They were married in 1764 and settled on a farm in Braintree (now Quincy), Massachusetts. They had five children. Abigail, John Quincy, Charles, and Thomas survived to adulthood.

John Adams's law practice and political duties kept him away from home much of the time. Abigail Adams stayed in touch with her husband and other family members by letter. Her letters are full of her opinions on the important issues of the day. This was during the time when the American colonies began to fight for independence from Great Britain. She wrote in favor of American independence. Like her husband, she also believed that slavery had no place in a country dedicated to freedom.

In 1789 John Adams became the first vice president of the United States. Eight years later he became the second president. Even during those terms Abigail was often in Massachusetts running the family farm. In 1800, however, she moved with the president into the White House, which was unfinished at the time.

After Adams's term as president he and Abigail returned to Quincy and settled comfortably into retirement. Abigail died on October 28, 1818.

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Abigail Adams was the wife of President John Adams and the mother of President John Quincy Adams. Her reading and her family life gave her a good understanding of politics. She strongly favored American independence and universal liberty. She was also determined to overcome the limits that were placed on women at the time.

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As their letters attest, it was no secret that John Adams relied on Abigail's astute political insight. Even then, he chose to ignore her insistence on gender equality. She raised her children and managed the farm single-handedly during John's lengthy absences as a Founding Father. She struggled to suppress her opinions from unwelcome public scrutiny. Abigail did not take kindly to attacks on John's presidency and felt imprisoned in the White House. Though John's political retirement caused her bitterness, it also meant no more painful separations between them. Ultimately, this brought her lasting contentment. She is the first First Lady to be the wife of a president and a mother to another.

November 11, 1744, Weymouth, MassachusettsOctober 28, 1818, Quincy, Massachusetts
Early Life and Family Background
Abigail Smith was born on November 11, 1744, in Weymouth, Massachusetts. She was the second of four children born to William Smith, a Congregationalist minister, and Elizabeth Quincy Smith. Her father was a respected figure in the community, known for his sermons and guidance. Her mother was the daughter of John Quincy, a prominent figure who served as a member of the colonial Governor's council, a colonel in the militia, and Speaker of the Massachusetts Assembly. Abigail's ancestry included English and Welsh roots, with well-researched genealogical ties extending back to royal lines in various European countries, including France, Germany, Belgium, Hungary, Holland, Spain, Italy, Ireland, and Switzerland.
Education and Upbringing
Abigail received no formal education, which was typical for girls of her time. However, she was taught to read and write at home and had access to her father and grandfather's extensive libraries. She took a special interest in philosophy, theology, Shakespeare, the classics, ancient history, government, and law. Abigail's intellectual curiosity and self-education would later inform her advocacy for women's education and her own significant role in political discourse.
Marriage and Family Life
At 19, Abigail married John Adams, a lawyer, on October 25, 1764, in her family home in Weymouth. The couple moved to a small cottage adjacent to John Adams's birthplace before eventually settling in Boston. They had five children: Abigail "Nabby'' Adams Smith (1765-1813), John Quincy Adams (1767-1848), Susanna Adams (1768-1770), Charles Adams (1770-1800), and Thomas Boylston Adams (1772-1832).
Role During the American Revolution
When John Adams went to Philadelphia in 1774 as a delegate to the First Continental Congress, Abigail remained at home, managing the farm and household. Their separation led to an extensive correspondence, creating a rich archive that provides insight into their marriage and the political issues of the time. Abigail's letters often included her observations and advice on political matters, making her an influential confidante to her husband.

In 1775, Abigail was appointed by the Massachusetts Colony General Court, along with Mercy Warren and Hannah Winthrop, to question Massachusetts women suspected of loyalty to the British crown. This quasi-official role marked the first instance of a First Lady holding a government position. Abigail also supported the revolutionary cause by melting down pewter tableware to make bullets for soldiers.

As the Second Continental Congress debated the Declaration of Independence, Abigail pressed her husband "I long to hear that you have declared an independency - and by the way in the new code of laws which I suppose it will be necessary for you to make I desire you would remember the ladies, and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the husbands." While her efforts did not result in immediate changes, her letters are some of the earliest known writings calling for women's rights.
Life as a Diplomat's Wife
Separated from her husband when he served as minister to France and then England, Abigail managed the family affairs and corresponded regularly with John. She joined him in Europe in 1783, exploring France and England and receiving an audience with the king. Upon their return, during John Adams's tenure as the first Vice President (1789-1797), Abigail spent part of each year in the capital cities of New York and Philadelphia, while Congress was in session.
First Lady
Abigail Adams became First Lady in 1797 when John Adams was elected President. She entered the role at the age of 52, well aware of the scrutiny and criticism that came with it. Abigail was a visible and influential figure, often referred to as "Mrs. President" due to her active involvement in political discussions. She was known for her forthright opinions and willingness to engage in political matters, often writing editorial letters to support her husband's administration.

During her time as First Lady, Abigail lived in the temporary capital of Philadelphia and then in the newly constructed White House in Washington, D.C. for a total of only eighteen months. She is known for hanging her family's laundry in the unfinished East Room of the White House, a practical solution that underscored the unrefined still-primitive conditions of the new capital.

Abigail Adams was a strong advocate for women's education and the emancipation of enslaved African Americans. She also supported the Alien and Sedition Acts, viewing them as necessary to protect the nation from foreign influence and internal dissent.
Best Known For
Abigail Adams is best known for her extensive correspondence with her husband, John Adams, which provides valuable insights into the political and social issues of the Revolutionary era. She is also remembered for her advocacy of women's rights and education, her forthright political opinions, and her influential role as the First Lady during a formative period in American history.
Life After the White House
After Thomas Jefferson defeated John Adams in the 1800 election, Abigail retired to their family farm, Peacefield, in Quincy, Massachusetts. She focused on managing the household and raising her granddaughter Susanna Adams. Despite her retirement, Abigail remained engaged in national politics, corresponding with notable figures, including President Jefferson and her successor, Dolley Madison.
Death and Legacy
Abigail Adams died on October 28, 1818, at her home in Quincy, Massachusetts, at the age of 73. She was buried beside her husband at the First Unitarian Church in Quincy. Abigail's extensive correspondence, particularly with her husband, provides a unique and valuable perspective on the political and social issues of the Revolutionary era. She is remembered as a pioneering advocate for women's rights and education, and her influence continues to be recognized and celebrated in American history.

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Meet the icons and get a glimpse into the brilliant minds of the powerful First Ladies of the U.S. and be inspired to champion your own cause from their example.

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Abigail Adams

Abigail Adams was the First Lady of the United States in 1796. Her marriage to John Adams thrust her into the spotlight of the American people.

Unlike Martha Washington, Abigail was opinionated and had beliefs against slavery, believed in equal rights for men and women, and thought that everyone deserved an education.

One of Abigail's and John's six children was John Quincy Adams, who later became President of the United States.

It is thanks to the over one thousand letters shared between John and Abigail that we have learned so much about what was happening on the front lines during the Revolutionary War.

Where did they live?

Born in 1744 in Weymouth, Massachusetts, her father was a minister, and only her two brothers went to school.

Abigail's mother taught her to read and write, and Abigail used her father's extensive library to self-educate.

This experience led to frustration and her later argument for women's rights.

Marrying John Adams

When John Adams and Abigail met, he was a country lawyer. She loved his sense of humor, and he admired her wit and intelligence. Over the years, the couple had six children with two dying very young.

By 1768 the family relocated to Boston during the tense time between the colonies and the British Empire. John chose to become involved in the growing revolution, and in 1775 he was selected to attend the Continental Congress in Philadelphia, PA. In the same year, the American Revolutionary War started.

John was away from home for much of the time, and Abigail made all of the decisions in the family and home care, including finances, taking care of their farm, and ensuring that the children were educated.

During part of the war, she was only twenty miles away from part of the battles, and she hid some of the soldiers that were escaping in her home as well as donated her kitchen utensils for them to melt for musket balls.

Abigail and John Adams were known to be devoted to each other, and during the separation of war, they never stopped writing letters to each other.

Once the war was over, John Adams went to Europe to work for Congress. Abigail decided to take her daughter Nabby and go to Paris. During her trip to Europe, Abigail met Benjamin Franklin and Thomas Jefferson. She liked Jefferson and did not like Franklin. Later Abigail went to London and met the King of England.

Once Abigail and John returned home, it didn't take long before George Washington selected John as Vice President in 1788. Abigail advised John of her thoughts on many political topics.

By 1796, John Adams was elected president, and Abigail became the First Lady. Abigail was friends with Martha Washington, but unlike Martha, Abigail had set political opinions.

She was worried that people wouldn't like her and continuously concerned about saying the wrong thing.

Equal Rights

Abigail was a staunch supporter of equal rights for women and people of color, against slavery, and fought for the right of all to be educated.

John always looked to Abigail for a woman's point of view on many subjects.

Retirement

Abigail and John retired to Quincy, Massachusetts, and by 1818 Abigail came down with typhoid fever, which killed her.Advertisement

She didn't live long enough to see her son. John Quincy Adams become president.

Facts about Abigail Adams

Born in 1744 in Weymouth, Massachusett

Her nickname as a child was "Nabby".

Abigail and her sisters were homeschooled

She married John Adams on October 25, 1764

She was the wife of John Adams, the second President of the United States

John and Abigail exchanged over 1100 letters

She was an early women's rights, advocate

Abigail died on October 28, 1818, in Quincy, Massachusetts

Her Son John Quincy Adams became president in 1825

What did you learn?
What were three of the political beliefs held by Abigail Adams?
Against slavery, equality for all, everyone should be educated
What was Abigail Adams' big concern about being First Lady?
Her political opinions and that they might upset people
How did Abigail Adams become educated?
Her mother taught her to read and write and she used her father's library to educate herself
What do we give John and Abigail credit for in learning about the front lines of the Revolutionary War?
The over 1,000 letters that they exchanged
What is the name of Abigail's son that went on to become president?
John Quincy Adams
How many children did John and Abigail have?
Six

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Abigail Adams was the First Lady of the United States in 1796. Her marriage to John Adams thrust her into the spotlight of the American people. Unlike Martha Washington, Abigail was opinionated and had beliefs against slavery, believed in equal rights for men and women, and thought that everyone deserved an education.

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Timeline of Abigail’s Life - Abigail Adams Historical Society

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Abigail Adams; Historical Society; Birthplace; North Weymouth; First Lady; John and Abigail Adams

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Considered essential to the American Revolution, Betsy Ross is credited with sewing the first United States flag . A symbol of patriotism, Ross is often celebrated as the woman who helped George Washington finish the design. Although there is no historical evidence that she created this flag, her story has made her a national icon.

Betsy Ross was born as Elizabeth Griscom on January 1, 1752. She was the eighth of seventeen children, but only about nine survived childhood. Her father Samuel Griscom owned an old farmhouse and was a successful carpenter in New Jersey. When Ross was only three years old, her parents Samuel and Rebecca Griscom moved to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Ross and her family were members of the Quaker religion and she attended a traditional Quaker school in Pennsylvania. Upon finishing her schooling, Ross became an apprentice for the popular upholsterer, John Webster. Ross learned how to make and repair many items, including curtains, tablecloths, bedcovers, and rugs. She became a very skilled seamstress and upholsterer. While working for Webster, she fell in love with another apprentice named John Ross. John Ross was the son of the former Assistant Rector of Christ Church. The Quakers did not approve of their members marrying people outside of their faith, so Betsy's family did not approve of her relationship with John Ross.

On November 4, 1773, Betsy and John ran to Hugg's Tavern in Gloucester, New Jersey and eloped. Her decision to marry John Ross caused her to split from her family and the Quaker religion when she was only 21-years-old. Betsy and John Ross started their own upholstery business in Philadelphia and became members of Christ Church. Their business was successful, and it is reported that they even made bed hangings for George Washington in 1774. John Ross was also a member of the Pennsylvania militia. After three years of marriage, John Ross passed away. At 24-years-old, Betsy Ross became a widow. She continued to run the upholstery business and worked on uniforms, tents, and flags for the Continental Army.

Shortly after her first husband's death, Ross claimed she was recruited for a very important job. According to a speech her grandson gave to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania years after her death, George Washington, Robert Morris, and George Ross, visited Ross' upholstery shop in the summer of 1776. Washington and the two other members of the Continental Congress brought a rough sketch of a flag with thirteen red and white stripes and thirteen six-pointed stars. Ross suggested that the six-pointed stars be changed to five-pointed stars because they were easier to make. Allegedly, she showed them how to make the new stars by folding a piece of paper into triangles and with a "single snip of the scissors" she made a perfect star. The men agreed to change the design. Ross is said to have made the first American flag shortly after that meeting.

Ross continued working as a seamstress and upholsterer for many years. She married her second husband, Joseph Ashburn on June 15, 1777. They had two daughters, but their first daughter died at nine months old. Ashburn was a merchant sailor during the Revolution and a British warship captured his ship in 1781. He was sent to prison and he died in May of 1782 of an unknown illness. Later that year, a fellow prisoner named John Claypoole visited Ross to tell her that Ashburn passed away. Claypoole and Ross became friends and got married a year later. They enjoyed a 34-year marriage and had five children. Unfortunately, after years of poor health, Claypoole died in 1817. Ross continued to work in her shop until she retired at the age of 76. By 1833, she was completely blind, but she continued to tell the story of how she made the first American flag to her children and grandchildren. She died peacefully in her sleep on January 30, 1836, a few weeks after her 84th birthday.

In 1870, William Canby brought his grandmother's story of making the first American flag to the public . He presented a paper to the Historical Society of Pennsylvania recalling the story his grandmother told him. No historical records or documentation could be found to verify his claims. Instead, Canby got family members to sign legal documents stating that Ross also told them this important story. His presentation brought Ross' life into the spotlight and she became a national icon. Although historians now disagree with Canby's evidence, Ross is often still credited with making the first American flag. On January 2, 1952, the Betsy Ross stamp was issued to celebrate the 200-year anniversary of her birth. It featured an image of Ross and the flag on her lap.

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Considered essential to the American Revolution, Betsy Ross is credited with sewing the first United States flag. Discover more at womenshistory.org.

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George Washington led the American colonists to victory in the American Revolution. After the war he helped produce the U.S. Constitution. Finally, he served for eight years...

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This Founding Father came to America alone at age 15. He fought at Washington's side in the Revolution, helped ensure the ratification of the Constitution, and saved the fledgling United States from financial ruin. He died in a tragic duel with his political rival, Aaron Burr.

Alexander Hamilton was born on January 11, 1757, in Nevis, British West Indies. His father, James Hamilton, was a Scottish trader. His mother, a French woman named Rachel Fawcett Lavine, was married to another man, John Michael Lavine, at the time of Alexander's birth. She had been cast out of Mr. Lavine's home for adultery. When Alexander was still an infant, James Hamilton abandoned his family. They struggled to survive.

Owing to his intelligence and willingness to work, Alexander Hamilton quickly rose above his station. At age 11, he went to work as a clerk in a countinghouse owned by a St. Croix businessman, Nicholas Cruger. Impressed with the boy, Cruger joined with a minister, the Reverend Hugh Knox, to send young Hamilton to study in America.

In the fall of 1773, at age 16, Hamilton entered King's College, which would later be renamed Columbia. In 1774, as the Colonies swept toward revolution, he left school to begin a career in politics. That year he wrote "A Full Vindication of the Measures of Congress,"which defended the First Continental Congress' proposal to embargo trade with Great Britain.

In 1776, after the Revolutionary War began, Hamilton received a captain's commission in the Continental Army. He raised an artillery company of his own and proved his bravery at the Battles of Long Island, White Plains, and Trenton.

George Washington was among those who recognized Hamilton's leadership capabilities. In 1777 Hamilton accepted a position on Washington's staff. At the time of Hamilton's appointment, the Army was plagued by poor organization and a lack of financing. The prescient Hamilton, realizing that these problems would also plague the liberated colonies unless they were solved, began to search for solutions.

Alexander Hamilton served admirably throughout the war. During this time he found love in the person of Elizabeth Schuyler, daughter of a powerful New York landholder and military officer, Philip Schuyler. Alexander and Elizabeth married in 1780. For the most part, their marriage was a happy one, but later it would suffer from Hamilton's infidelity.

Following the war, Hamilton passed the New York bar and set up practice in New York City. Among his first clients were Loyalists, people who kept their allegiance to the King of England during the war. At the war's end, many New York rebels returned to find their homes and businesses occupied by Loyalists. Under the Trespass Act, these people could sue Loyalists for compensation for the use of and damage to their property. Hamilton's powerful defense of Loyalists helped establish principles of due process and ensure the Trespass Act's repeal.

In 1787 delegates met in Philadelphia to repair the weak Articles of Confederation, which were failing to hold the union together. Hamilton, a New York delegate, believed that the solution to the problem involved creating a stronger central government and providing a steady revenue stream for this government.

Although Hamilton had little influence on the writing of the Constitution, he was a driving force for its ratification. Along with John Jay and James Madison, Hamilton wrote "The Federalist,"a series of essays that defended the yet-to-be-approved Constitution. Hamilton composed more than two-thirds of the 85 essays, which were published in New York newspapers in 1787-88. Later in 1788, Hamilton attended the New York ratification convention. Using his considerable skill as an orator, he turned back an overwhelming Anti-Federalist tide to win ratification.

Upon his election in 1789, George Washington chose Alexander Hamilton as the nation's first Treasury secretary. Hamilton crafted a monetary policy that undoubtedly saved the nation from ruin. Among the features of the Hamilton plan were the payment of federal war bonds, the assumption of state debts by the federal government, and the creation of a mechanism for collecting taxes.

During his tenure as Treasury secretary, Hamilton clashed repeatedly with another cabinet member, Thomas Jefferson. Hamilton favored a powerful central government while Jefferson feared it; Hamilton favored closer relations with Britain, and Jefferson, with France. The men would both resign their Cabinet posts before the end of Washington's first term. They would remain lifelong political enemies.

Hamilton might have risen to the presidency if not for a scandal in 1797. A pamphlet published that year revealed Hamilton's affair with a woman named Maria Reynolds and linked him to a scheme by Reynolds' husband to illegally manipulate federal securities. To prove his innocence, Hamilton resorted to publishing love letters he had written to Maria Reynolds. This cleared Hamilton of financial impropriety, but badly damaged his reputation. The scandal did not stop George Washington from appointing Hamilton acting commander of the U.S. Army in 1798 when the country was on the brink of war with France.

In 1800 Hamilton's old enemy, Aaron Burr, obtained and published a confidential document Hamilton had written that was highly critical of Federalist John Adams, then president. Publication of the article created a rift in the Federalist party, helping Republicans Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr to win the race for presidency. But since the two men tied in electoral votes, it was up to Congress to decide the outcome. Hamilton lobbied Congressional federalists to vote for Jefferson, to little effect. Still, Congress chose Jefferson as president. Burr assumed the vice presidency.

In the New York gubernatorial race of 1804, Hamilton again clashed with Aaron Burr. Burr ran as an independent. Hamilton feared that Burr would eclipse him in the Federalist leadership. He spoke out against the vice president, and New York Republicans George and DeWitt Clinton led a brutal media campaign against Burr. The Clintons, not Hamilton, were responsible for Burr's defeat.

Still, after reading in a newspaper that Hamilton had expressed a "despicable opinion" about him during the campaign, Burr challenged Hamilton to a duel. They met on the dueling grounds at Weehawken, New Jersey on July 11, 1804. Both men fired their pistols; only Hamilton was hit. He died of his wounds the next day.

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Alexander Hamilton | American Experience | PBS

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This Founding Father came to America alone at age 15. He fought at Washington's side in the Revolution, helped ensure the ratification of the Constitution, and saved the fledgling United States from financial ruin.

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Friends of Mount Moriah Cemetery | Honoring the memory of those interred at Mount Moriah Cemetery

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Friends of Mount Moriah Cemetery | Honoring the memory of those interred at Mount Moriah Cemetery

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Elizabeth “Betsy” Ross | Friends of Mount Moriah Cemetery

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Honoring the memory of those interred at Mount Moriah Cemetery

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John and Abigail Adams | Article

Abigail Smith was born on November 22, 1744, in Weymouth, Massachusetts. Her father was a Congregationalist minister, her mother a member of the notable Quincy family. Like young girls of her time, Abigail lacked a formal education, but from youth she was intelligent, well read, and outspoken.

Courtesy: Library of Congress

Politics Prevailed
On October 25, 1764, Abigail wed John Adams, commencing a partnership characterized, and perhaps enriched, by separation. Between 1765 and 1772, she bore five children, one of whom, John Quincy, would become the sixth president of the United States. During these years, John balanced his law practice and political activity with increasing difficulty. With his election to the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia in 1774, politics prevailed. Abigail agreed he should go: "You cannot be, ... nor do I wish to see you an Inactive Spectator. ..."

On Her Own
With her husband gone, Abigail became head of the household. She educated the children, hired farmhands, coped with rampant inflation and deprivation, and staved off debt. She supplemented the farm income by selling and trading small European items that John procured for her. She also purchased land in Braintree and Vermont in John's name, as it was illegal to do so in hers. Abigail considered her lonely duties loathsome and called them her "patriotic sacrifice."

Courtesy: Library of Congress

Protecting Home and Country
For John, patriotic and familial concerns were in separate spheres; for Abigail, they were intertwined. In the monumental summer of 1776, as John triumphantly made the case for independence in Philadelphia, smallpox struck Braintree. With Abigail and the children in Boston being inoculated, John wrote that he was sick with worry, but "I cannot leave this place, without ... injury to the public now. ..." In July 1777, alone, pregnant, and anxious because of rumors of an impending British attack on Boston, she wrote John of a "shaking fit... [She was] very apprehensive that a life was lost." The baby, a girl, was stillborn. John again delivered his comfort by post; there was too much to be done in Congress.

Courtesy: Adams National Historical Park

A Long Separation
From 1778 to 1783, John lived in Paris and Amsterdam on diplomatic misions, accompanied by John Quincy and Charles. Abigail called her husband's sojourn to Europe her "widowhood." When his letters dwindled, Abigail struck up a correspondence with James Lovell, a Congressman and thrice-married philanderer, ostensibly to get information about John during his long silences, but more likely to fill the void left by the absence of her "dearest friend." Her "widowhood" ended in 1784, when she and Nabby sailed to Europe and were reunited with John.

Adviser and Hostess
In 1788 John and Abigail left England for Braintree, together at last. But conventional domestic tranquility would elude them. In 1789 John became vice president. Abigail had enjoyed New York, considering it a fine capital, but when the seat of government moved to Philadelphia, Abigail fled. She hated the weather and was frequently ill. When John's was elected as president, Abigail remained in Quincy, apprising him of the public mood as she had since the Revolutionary War. But in 1797, John found that advice from afar was no longer enough. Lonely and despised by his cabinet, he begged Abigail to come and "assist me with your councils, and console me with your conversation." She did go, and became his "chief domestic minister without portfolio," according to historian Joseph J. Ellis. Abigail fulfilled a traditional hostess' role too. As time went on, she told her sister Mary that she felt "a little more at home, and less anxiety about the ceremonious part of my duty."

Courtesy: Library of Congress

Dark Days
In November 1800 Abigail joined John at the new presidential residence in Washington DC. They would not remain there long. Soon after, John lost his bid for reelection. This unhappy loss was soon followed by another, the death of their son Charles, of alcoholism. Abigail bridled at her husband's defeat and wept for her "poor unhappy child." The last month of John's presidency was unrelentingly dark.

Courtesy: Adams National Historical Park

Wife, Mother and Grandmother
After March 1801, John and Abigail regained the "domestick felicity" that had characterized their first years together. As they entered their last days, John farmed and wrote. Abigail remained an avid newspaper reader and correspondent even as she devoted herself to domestic pursuits and her ever-present grandchildren. Abigail knew sorrow again during this period when daughter Nabby died of breast cancer in 1813. Five years later, nearly 74, Abigail contracted typhoid fever. She died on October 28, 1818, three days after her 54th wedding anniversary.

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Biography: Abigail Adams | American Experience | PBS

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John and Abigail Adams | Article Abigail Smith was born on November 22, 1744, in Weymouth, Massachusetts. Her father was a Congregationalist minister, her mother a member of the notable Quincy family. Like young girls of her time, Abigail lacked a formal education, but from youth she was intelligent, well read, and outspoken.