Abigail Adams 2 Essay, Research Paper
Akers describes Abigail Adams as “the nation’s best informed woman on public affairs, while never overstepping…the line nature had drawn between the sexes.” This is the books main idea of course, based on the life of Abigail Adams. She influenced her husband and second president, John Adams as well as her son and sixth president, John Quincy Adams. Akers portrays how John Adams saw Abigail as an intellectual equal in the confines in their own home. Her political philosphy was as wise and unpandering as her husband’s. Often they would talk of politics, Abigail perhaps the superior in this subject. When they came to a conflict in ideas, Abigail gently persuaded her husband in his views. Abigail pressed John on the importance of emancipation of women but never went beyond him or a few close friends. “She could not expect to be more than a private observer and supporter of her husband’s political career.” She gently taunted John of those few queens who had ruled as monarchs and had been generally good sovereigns. Thus, she wanted republican women to be good sovereigns. Abigail declared to her husband, “my ambition will extend no further than Reigning in the Heart of my husband.” She thought women should work as hard for a voice in their male-dominated society as to preserve what they had already attained. Though Abigail encouraged other women to publish works such as Judith Sargent Murray’s “On the Equality of the Sexes” she herself never overstepped the line.
Akers also depicts the life of American women during the American Revolution. He describes their lives in contrast with their male counter-parts. Women were expected to bare children and reside compliently under the support of their father or husband. Few women of this time were educated in areas other than maintaining their house and keeping their husband and children healthy. Those who were educated were expected to stay at home and impress on their sons the art of politics and such. Men of this time took their wives for granted as well as birth.
Because Abigail Adams had useful family connections and a constant supply of literature, she became a very educated woman and “did not call for a revolution in the roles of men and women.” She hoped rather for a legal system where women could find “maximum fullfillment in the ascribed roles as wives and mothers, domestic beings deferential to fathers and husbands.”
One of Akers strengths in Abigail Adams: An American Woman is his descriptions of the lives of American women during this time. He has written an accurate and judicius account of Abigail Adams’ life. He brings together the insights of many studies fo her husband, her son, the American Revolution, and the role of women in early American History. He makes great evaluation of Abigail’s opinions as well.
Akers, however, has failed to bring light to very little that is new. He sources are almost entirely Abigail Adams’ letters. Accounts were taken directly from her letters. He fails to say anything new about her at this stage and does not come anywhere near the brillance of Abigail’s own words.
Akers was born in 1920 and was an educated man, receiving his Ph.D. in 1952 at Boston College, he also attended Eastern Nazarene College. He became a professor of History at several different colleges and universities. He wrote books of other significant historical figures such as Jonathon Mayhew in Called Unto Liberty: A Life of Johnathon Mayhew and Samuel Cooper in The Divine Politician: Samual Cooper and The American Revolution in Boston.
Aker’s Abigail Adams: An American Woman is written in a lean and lively style for which the reader is thankful. It allows the reader to understand more freely exactly what Abigail Adams’ life must have been like, based on her letters. It keeps the reader’s attention and the author’s as well as he does not stray from his topic.
Akers sources are impressive by far. Mainly the book is based on the correspondence of Abigail but he also uses publications of her grandchildren and many others.
Other reviews have found Akers’ book as “a fascinating portrait of one of America’s greatest statesmen.” Most of the revies researched supported the ideas exhibited in this book review. A few, however, have contradicted Akers’ work by saying they “were troubled by the author’s acceptance of the idea that Adams was eager for war with France.” Despite this argument the few reviews contradicting Abigail Adams: An American Woman have had more good things to say of Aker’s publication than bad.
I would recommend this book for other students because it gives insight of the role of American women during the Revolution. It goes into immense detail of the life of the Adamses and other historical figures of this period.
Другие работы по теме:
Louisa May Alcott Essay Research Paper Louisa
Louisa May Alcott Essay, Research Paper Louisa was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania on November 29, 1832. Her parents, Bronson and Abigail May Alcott decided to name their second daughter after her aunt, Louisa May Green. Her father was a noted New England Transcendentalist philosopher and educator who worked only irregularly throughout Louisa May’s life.
Salem Meets Dennis The Menace Essay Research
Paper What?s the difference between Abigail Williams and Satin? Very little! Abigail turns life around for many innocent citizens of Salem. She took away their freedom and attacked their emotions. Abigail shows many similar qualities to Satin in The Crucible. She certainly rejects God and does what she wants to do regardless of whom it may hurt.
The Crucible Essay Research Paper Is Vengeance
The Crucible Essay, Research Paper Is Vengeance Enough? You are pulling Heaven down and raising up a whore! (Pg. 50). This quote shows how someone s private motives for something, can have
Write About The Part Abigail Williams Plays
In ‘The Crucible’ Essay, Research Paper I believe that Abigail Williams was a symptom of what was wrong with Salem society. I think that it was a mixture of her background, her personality and living in an oppressive society that made her cause the witch hunts.
The Crucible And Abigail Essay Research Paper
The main characters are Abigail, Mercy, Proctor, Hale, and Elizabeth. Abigail is a girl who accuses many people of witchcraft including Elizabeth. When Elizabeth is accused of witchcraft, she comes up with evidence that Abigail accused her as a trick to get ahead in life. Although Abigail and the girls initiate the tragedy, responsibility lies with the whole Salem community.
John Adams Essay Research Paper Brandon GirouxBible12John
John Adams Essay, Research Paper Brandon GirouxBible-12John Adams Everyone here will agree that George Washington was the first president of the United States, correct? What if I told you that under the United States Constitution, John Adams has been robbed of the rightful title of “The First President of the United States”? What would you believe then? John Adams was the son of John Adams and Susanna Boylston.
Crucible Essay Research Paper The Crucible is
Crucible Essay, Research Paper The Crucible is a play about witchcraft. It all begins with a group of young women playing with witchcraft taught by Tituba and Abigail William?s. Reverend
The Crucible Essay Research Paper Tone Shift
The Crucible Essay, Research Paper Tone Shift between Act I and Act II of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible The tone changes from maddened anticipation at the end of act one to somber falseness at the beginning of act two. The author’s diction highlights the tones of hysteria and excitement at the conclusion of act one. “Rising to a great glee,” Abigail exclaims, “I saw Goody Sibber with the Devil!” Accusations from Abigail and Betty are flying everywhere.
The Crucible Essay Research Paper Abigail Williams
The Crucible Essay, Research Paper Abigail Williams portrays Miller’s affair with the inner voice and guilt. Arthur Miller saw guilt as a habit of mind capable of being over come. It is seen in Abigail who exhausts her conscience to get herself out of trouble by accusing Tituba, and then to seek revenge on the adults who make her life miserable.
Samuel Adams Essay Research Paper 427Revolutionary America
Samuel Adams Essay, Research Paper (427) Revolutionary America was an extraordinary time. The Revolution changed many unsuspecting men into heroes; our founding fathers. One of these men was Samuel Adams, a man with unsurpassed dedication and the political intellect to make a difference in America s revolution.
Samuel Adams Essay Research Paper Samuel Adams
Samuel Adams Essay, Research Paper Samuel Adams may have been the most radical person in American history. He is often called the original radical. At first glance, he appeared as a very disorganized and incompetent man. He often wore the same set of clothes for a few days straight without washing them. With further inspection, one would notice that he is a little more than he appears on the outside.
What We Learn From The Letters Between
John And Abigail Adams Essay, Research Paper John Adams, a Harvard graduate and well-educated politician, married Abigail Smith in October of 1764. She was the daughter of a wealthy minister. Despite the lack of formal education because of illness, Abigail learned to read, write, and converse on level of great dignity.
Crucible Essay Research Paper Summary of The
Crucible Essay, Research Paper Summary of The Crucible This story takes place during the late 1600’s. In the beginning Abigail, Mary Warren, and Betty were in the forest conjuring up spirits of the dead. They wanted to find out why children were dying in their infancy. Tituba knew how to conjure so she was the one who did it, while the other three danced.
The Crucible Essay Research Paper In Arthur
The Crucible Essay, Research Paper In Arthur Miller’s The Crucible, the main character Abigail Williams is to blame for the 1692 witch trials in Salem, Massachusetts. Abigail is a mean and vindictive person who always wants her way, no matter who she hurts. Through out the play her accusations and lies cause many people pain and suffering, but she seemed to never care for any of them except John Proctor, whom she had an affair with seven months prior to the beginning of the play.
Cruicible Essay Research Paper In the play
Cruicible Essay, Research Paper In the play The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, John Proctor is introduced as a main character early in the plot. He comes out as a rebellious man in a sense, and right away we learn of his affair with Abigail. By the end of the play Proctor is changing his ground and becoming a more responsible individual and not lowering himself to Abigail?s standards once again.
Women In History Essay Research Paper Equality
Women In History Essay, Research Paper Equality has been a controversial issue ever since time began. Whether it be race, sex, or religion, it has always been an unsettled topic of concern. Equality between men and
The Hitch Hiker
’s Guide To The Galaxy Essay, Research Paper ?The Hitch Hiker?s Guide To The Galaxy?, by Douglas Noel Adams Douglas Noel Adams has successfully tried to show us another aspect of our daily-life routine. By using many cynical elements, he creates extremely funny situations which represent much deeper aspects.
Crucible Lying Essay Research Paper Notes for
Crucible Lying Essay, Research Paper Notes for an essay on human weaknesses that are prominent in the Crucible Lying (pg. 10 – Abigail Williams) Abigail lied to Parris when he asked if she had
John Quincy Adams Essay Research Paper Adams
John Quincy Adams Essay, Research Paper Adams, John Quincy John Quincy Adams, the sixth president of the United States, was a child of American independence, the primary architect of the first century of the nation’s foreign policy, and an implacable foe of slavery.
From Sinner To Martyr The Evolution Of
John Proct Essay, Research Paper Was John Proctor a basically good man who thought he was just having a little fun with Abigail by cheating on his wife, or was he an evil sinner who had bad intentions while having an affair with Abigail in the first place? Was he or did he become a sinner or a martyr, someone who dies for their cause? Well, John Proctor changes throughout the play in many ways.
Revenge 2 Essay Research Paper REVENGELove is
Revenge 2 Essay, Research Paper REVENGE Love is a strange thing. It is strong, free, and blind. With it come many pleasures. However, what often occurs after love is the antithesis of love. Once love is lost in a person, a barrage of feelings inhabits that person. One of the darkest, strongest, most eminent emotions that occur in a person is the feeling of revenge.
The Role Revenge Played In The Crucible
Essay, Research Paper The Role Revenge Played in The Crucible Revenge plays a major role in the play The Crucible, by Arthur Miller. Due to the social structure of the 17th century society it was very easy for the town s people to believe that witchcraft was the cause of all the town s problems. The arising suspicion of witchcraft allowed the town s people to express their hatred toward others and led many to seek revenge against society, enemies and also neighbors.
Abigail Adams Essay Research Paper Abigail Adams
Abigail Adams Essay, Research Paper Abigail Adams was a unique woman because she had an education and an interest in politics. She learned how to read and write and enjoyed poems most. She was also very resourceful by helping her husband on difficult problems.
Abigail Adams Her Contributions Essay Research Paper
Abigail Adams: Her Contributions Though quiet, sickly, and shy, Abigail Adams, the wife of second president John Adams, helped plant the seeds that eventually led to the concept of women+s rights and women+s equality with men. For a country which had been founded on the idea of independence for all, these concepts were still considered radical and even ridiculous.
Henry Adams Virgin And The Dynamo Essay
, Research Paper The Education of the Henry Adams reviews Adams s and the United States s education and growth during the 19th century. Adams was an old man who had Puritan beliefs about sex and religion. In this autobiography, Adams voices his skepticism about man s newfound power to control the direction of history, in particular, the exploding world of science and technology, where all certainties of the future have vanished (anb, 1).
Crucible Essay Research Paper Tragic Hero EssayThe
Crucible Essay, Research Paper Tragic Hero Essay The historic happenings of the Salem Witch Trials are told in the story of the Crucible. In the Crucible, the main character is John Proctor. John Proctor is a tragic hero who is a great man but has one single flaw, pride, which will lead to his destruction.
John Adams Presidency Essay Research Paper John
John Adams Presidency Essay, Research Paper John Adams was a realistic president. Adams was viewed by his peers as one of the most significant statesmen of the revolutionary era, but his status among the distinguished faded. What made Adams a prominent figure at first, later led to his demise as the second president.
Crucible Essay Research Paper The Crucible
Crucible Essay, Research Paper The Crucible The Crucible takes place in Salem, Massachusetts in 1692. It begins with a sense of witchcraft in the air, when we find out that Reverend Parris (the town minister) and the town are
The Witchcraft Hysteria Essay Research Paper The
The Witchcraft Hysteria Essay, Research Paper The Witchcraft Hysteria In 1692, in Salem Massachusetts, the superstition of witches existed in a society of strong puritan beliefs. Anybody who acted out of the ordinary was accused of being a witch, and then the accused would actually be forgiven if they admitted it and told the court of anyone else that was with the devil.
The Crucible 2 Essay Research Paper In
The Crucible 2 Essay, Research Paper In the book, The Crucible, Abigail Williams and her childish friends take advantage of the situation in their hometown of Salem, Massachusetts. At the time, there was a lot of tension about the discussion of witches and virtually anyone who was accused of being a witch was proven a witch.