2.5: Revolutionary Power Couple: John and Abigail Adams and the Declaration of Independence

He was a lawyer who would devote his life to public service; she was an independent woman who would devote her life to her family and supporting her husband's political efforts, both in spirit and in practice.  Both of them would come to support the principles that were espoused in the Declaration of Independence, and the story of one is never told without understanding the story of the other.  This episode of History: Beyond the Textbook shines a light on John and Abigail Adams and their efforts to support the Declaration and the continued war effort against Great Britain.

Key People
Abigail Adams
John Adams
Mercy Otis Warren
Thomas Jefferson

Key Events
Boston Massacre
First and Second Continental Congress
Declaration of Independence

The third season of History: Beyond the Textbook focuses on the stories of individuals who shaped "America's Crucial Years" of 1783-1790, and runs from October 8-December 24. Catch up on Season One, "America's Colonial Era," and Season Two, "America's Revolution," wherever you listen to your podcasts!

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Transcript

Summer, 1776.  The momentum had been building for some time for the American colonies to declare their intentions to completely sever their connections to Great Britain and form a new nation.  It was nearly 15 months following the initial battles at Lexington and Concord and 13 months following Bunker Hill, so the delay was irksome to those who had been putting their lives on the line for well over a year, but better late than never.  Leading the push for this break was a lawyer who was originally from Braintree, Massachusetts, which was just outside of the larger city of Boston.  John Adams was intelligent, opinionated, and principled: in his defense of British soldiers accused of murder on March 5, 1770, he would famously utter that “facts are stubborn things.”  He understood from an early date that a full reconciliation with Great Britain probably wasn’t going to happen, and he came around to the idea of independence much earlier than most.  Right by his side, if not in person than certainly in spirit, was Abigail Adams, a woman who, in addition to being John’s spouse, was equally intelligent, opinionated, and principled.  During her husband’s lengthy absences as a lawyer and Congressman, she wouldn’t hesitate to unilaterally make decisions that she felt were in her family’s best interest…and she also wasn’t afraid to speak her mind to her husband.  Today on History: Beyond the Textbook, we explore American Independence using the perspective of John and Abigail Adams, the power couple of the American Revolution. 

Act I: Independence Becomes Official

July 4 is when Independence Day is celebrated in the United States because that is the day that the Second Continental Congress voted to accept the Declaration of Independence and break away from British political rule.  The mid-summer date of this declaration was no accident as members of the Congress, and the nation as a whole, had come a long way since spring and early summer 1775 when the belief in a full reconciliation still held sway.  Keep in mind that the delegates in Congress weren’t allowed to simply “vote their conscience…” they were placed into their positions by local assemblies who provided them with instructions on how they could vote.  The publication of Common Sense in January 1776 started the process of persuading Americans that they ought to end the charade of English governance and control (more on Common Sense in our next episode).  Most Southern colonies were hesitant to support independence, but that hesitation melted away by spring as both Carolinas and Georgia, the lone state who sent zero representatives to the First Continental Congress, freed up their delegates to support the independence movement.  The primary proponents of independence understood that unanimity must carry the day: that is, every colony needed to be on record as supporting a full break with England because any sign of defection from The Cause could be viewed as weakness.  Not every colony, specifically certain Middle Colonies like New York, had the authority to vote “yes” by the springtime, so after considerable debate, time would be provided for said colonies to inquire about updated instructions.  In the meantime, a committee was formed to write a formal declaration of independence so when the time came, there was something to vote on and approve.  This “Committee of Five” consisted of Roger Sherman, Robert Livingston, the esteemed Dr. Ben Franklin, the newest and most recently arrived delegate, Thomas Jefferson, and half of the focus of today’s episode” John Adams.

Act II: More Than “Mrs. Adams”

Why half?  Remember, this episode is about the partnership that helped make the Declaration possible: that of Abigail and John Adams.  And Abigail Adams was way more than simply “John’s wife…” she was his confidante, his sounding board, and entrepreneur in her own right, and frankly, John’s equal in a marriage that can be viewed within the context of an American “power couple.

Abigail Smith was born on November 22, 1744 in Weymouth, southeast of Boston, and although there were schools nearby where Abigail could have received some type of formal primary education, but she didn’t…a situation that she would bemoan for the rest of her life.  This may help explain her insistence that her own children receive a proper, formal education, whether they had the aptitude and desire for it or not.  She began writing at an early age, and it was at the age of 17 that she caught the eye of lawyer John Adams, who just a few years earlier had essentially turned up his nose at the prospect of interacting with her.  Her specific attraction to John has been somewhat unexplained, but they bonded over their shared love of reading, and they communicated this, and other thoughts, via extensive written word.  Their back and forth letters from the early 1760’s demonstrate their willingness to make literary references to one another, and showcased their growing fondness for each other.  The two were married October 25, 1764, the four-year anniversary of the coronation of King George III.  Their daughter Abigail, who went by “Nabby,” was born 8 and a half months later, with son John Quincy arriving two years after that.  At this stage of her life, Abigail would have been quite devoted in her roles as wife and mother, as many women were at the time.  Her early twenties also consisted of dealing with the extended absences of her lawyer husband while his legal duties kept him on the road, and his duties took him to Boston so frequently that the family moved to that city from their Braintree homestead in 1768.

As the family rotated between their Boston and Braintree homes during these pre-war years, Abigail’s worldview would become heavily influenced by two prominent women: Catharine Sawbridge McCaulay and Mercy Otis Warren.  McCaulay was a British historian who was formally educated and truly appeared to live life on her own terms, traits that endeared her to Abigail.  Warren was the sister of early Patriot James Otis Jr., and would make a name for herself as an historian of the American Revolution (although John Adams wouldn’t be too fond of how she depicted him within this history).  When the two first began their correspondence, Warren had just completed a play based on the Boston Massacre called The Adulateur, intended to be a satire.  She took a bit of a dour view towards life and this contrarian attitude actually drew Abigail into her orbit.  It was this attitude, along with her obvious intelligence, that prompted Abigail to send Nabby on an extended vacation to the residence of Mercy Otis Warren.  The relationship between the two would fluctuate between harmonious and sour throughout the years, but Abigail valued her perspective and the two would collaborate in ways that were rare for women prior to the Revolution.

Speaking of the Revolution, events continued to transpire around Abigail Adams leading to that break with England.  Adams and Warren openly discussed these events, and Abigail often had a front-row seat to their unfolding.  None was more prominent than the Battle of Bunker Hill where Mercy’s brother-in-law, Dr. Joseph Warren, would cover the American retreat and pay for it with his life. Their Braintree home was close enough to the battlefield that Abigail and John Quincy witnessed the carnage from a relatively safe distance.  By this time, John was present at the Second Continental Congress, so Abigail kept tabs on local affairs and informed John of such developments in her letters to him in Philadelphia.  John journeyed home for a brief summer recess in 1775, but soon had to return, a pattern of interaction between the two that would last about another decade.  This would prove to be the session that produced the Declaration of Independence, and perhaps inspired by the January 1776 publication of Common Sense, Abigail composed what is arguably her most publicized letter to John that spring in which she not only stated “I long to hear that you have declared an independency,” but also urged him to “Remember the Ladies, and be more generous and favourable to them than your ancestors.”  In what appeared to be a statement that implored female participation in a new nation, she specified that she hoped they would be included in the “Code of Laws” for said nation, but more to the point, she wanted to ensure that husbands would not be granted complete control over their wives as had been traditional custom.  She further implied that if this was not to occur, American women would “not hold ourselves bound by and Laws in which we have no voice, or Representation.”  Playful in tone, yet Abigail Adams exposed an uncomfortable truth about the lack of rights women may be expected to yield in whatever form this new nation took.

Act III: Instigator of Independence

We now arrive at the recipient of this, and many, of Abigail’s letters: John Adams.  His life’s work enjoyed somewhat of a comeback in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s thanks to the work of historians Joseph J. Ellis and David McCullough, the latter of who’s 2001 biography was turned into the HBO mini-series John Adams.  His name has already come up in previous episodes, so let’s get a quick recap before we dive into his pivotal role in advocating for the Declaration of Independence.

Born October 30, 1735 in Braintree, Massachusetts, John Adams’s family could trace their lineage back to the 1630’s and the so-called “Great Migration” of Puritans who left the British Isles to forge a presumably better life for themselves in New England.  A literate child, he one day informed his Deacon father, also named John, that he did not care for school and wished to be a farmer…his father would have none of that, and he eventually would enroll at Harvard, with his father selling 10 acres of land to pay the tuition.  In his final year at this institution, Adams joined the equivalent of a debate team where his talents were revealed: he began his study of the law in August 1756 and he eventually was admitted to the bar as a formal lawyer.  He truly made a name for himself as a lawyer when he successfully defended Captain Thomas Preston and the British troops involved with the Boston Massacre in 1770.  His career as a politician can be traced back about five years prior when the hated Stamp Act became law.  He wrote an essay to be titled A Dissertation on the Canon and the Federal Law, and it spelled out his insistence that American colonials were to enjoy the rights that were guaranteed to them by centuries of British law.  He followed it up with the Braintree Instructions wherein he declared that “no freeman should be subject to any tax to which he has not given his own consent.”  Although no fan of violent disorder, Adams was revealing his Patriot leanings at an early stage.

Between the repeal of the Stamp Act and the events of March 5, 1770, Adams held numerous public roles, including riding the circuit as a traveling judge.  He and Abigail cherished the time they had together and took care of their growing family.  His role in the Boston Massacre trials would bring him immediate scorn and long-lasting respect, and he threw himself into his practice in their aftermath, but his selection to the First Continental Congress in 1774 ensured that public service would inform the rest of his working life.  He was a member of this AND the Second Continental Congress, and his return to the latter would prompt Abigail to send him her “Remember the Ladies” letter.  However, unlike the tone of the letter, there was nothing “playful” or “clever” about the Philadelphia Adams returned to at the start of this Congress in spring 1775: troops were openly drilling in the streets and Congress set to the task of attempting to prepare for war.  It was certainly a far cry from the First Continental Congress when John and his cousin Sam were warned that the Massachusetts delegation was viewed to be “overly zealous” and needed to tone down their rhetoric, but not quite at the stage of full independence.  By early 1776, not every colonial delegate was even permitted to support independence, and the primary voice against this measure was the respected Pennsylvanian John Dickinson.  Dickinson’s insistence on compromises, or what Adams called “half measures,” would not do, and thus he picked up his pen yet again and wrote Thoughts on Government, which outlined exactly what was titled: his belief on how the government of a new nation should look, along with his optimism at the opportunity to create such a system from scratch.

 Yet this optimism did not make the process of securing a vote for independence any easier, but more colonies had freed their delegates to support independence by spring 1776.  On May 10, Adams submitted a preamble for independence for the consideration of the Congress, and it was a statement formally declaring that the intentions of what he called “these United Colonies” should be to break away from England.  The preamble was approved days later…at about the same time that a 33-year old Virginian known for his writing arrived to join his fellow delegates.  After this, events moved quickly, with the declaration of Virginia’s Richard Henry Lee stating “that these United Colonies are, and of a right ought to be, free and independent states” serving as the tipping point.  The “anti” declaration faction pressed on, but Adams and his supporters were moving the Congress decisively in the direction of independence from Great Britain.  The official vote on independence was to be delayed until July 1, 1776, because several of the Middle Colonies had yet to receive the go-ahead to vote for such a proposal, so the “Committee of Five” from Act I was formed amidst this backdrop, with 33-year old Thomas Jefferson tasked with writing the first draft.  Adams claimed to have been the one to request that Jefferson do this, while Jefferson would not recall the exchange, but however it occurred, the stage was set for the drafting of one of the most monumental documents in world history, and John Adams was in the thick of it.

Act IV: Beyond the Declaration

So what happened next?  The basics have been well established throughout the centuries: Jefferson wrote the first draft, changes were made among the Committee, and on July 2, 1776, twelve colonies voted in favor of independence, with New York abstaining given their lack of updated instructions.  The vote on independence occurred on this date, while the vote on the Declaration occurred on July 4.  Most delegates would sign it on August 2, with only Congressional President John Hancock and Secretary Charles Thomson signing on July 4.

What of Abigail and John and their family during this time?  John would famously tell Abigail that “The second day of July 1776 will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America,” of which he was off by two days.  He was, however, correct in his prediction that independence should be celebrated “with Pomp and Parade, with Shows, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires, and Illuminations.”  His responsibilities serving on over 20 committees prevented him from returning where he wanted to be, which was home with his family.  They were all in Boston receiving their smallpox inoculations, the same procedure John underwent in 1764 under the guidance of Dr. Joseph Warren.  Smallpox was running wild in the Boston area, and the insertion of a lesser form of the virus into an open cut would provide a lifetime of immunity once the “lesser” virus ran its course.  Nabby ended up severely covered in pox marks, while son Charles became afflicted with the disease, as Abigail put it, “in the natural way.”  For the rest of summer 1776, updates about the status of his family preoccupied the bulk of his correspondence with Abigail: bear in mind that he was also contending with a Continental Army who had not only been so decimated by smallpox that only half were fit for duty, but also was about to be routed by invading British forces in New York City.  Abigail mainly encouraged John to focus on the war effort while she kept up the home front.  Since Boston was the site of a mass inoculation effort, anyone receiving the procedure was allowed to roam about the city instead of quarantining, so she was physically present on King Street on July 18 when the Declaration of Independence was read out loud.  She was a bit perturbed to discover that the published copy differed significantly from the rough draft John had sent her, specifically the omission of the original text condemning the King for the slave trade.  That, along with the health of Nabby and Charles, would preoccupy her into the fall.

John was able to return to Braintree from November-December 1776, but in January he was back to Congress and his official duties.  As John resumed his role in Congress, Abigail would keep the family financially afloat using some truly enterprising methods.  The Adams family found themselves facing a mountain of debt by 1777 because John wasn’t always properly compensated for his legal work, nor Abigail for the fruits of her labor on the family farm.  Massachusetts had begun printing paper money two years earlier, but the currency was hopelessly devalued by 1777, and the family debtors had been paying up in mountains of this cash.  Abigail began to purchase the war bonds that the Continental Congress began selling the year before, allowing Abigail to attempt to turn the cash into something that resembled value.  The bonds offered a 6 percent interest rate to buyers AND provided Congress with a much-needed supply of capital.  This certainly wasn’t Abigail’s only foray into attempted economic prosperity.  At the outbreak of hostilities, Abigail noted that there was a shortage of pins, causing their price to triple…simple supply and demand.  Sensing an opportunity, Abigail wrote to John, then in Philadelphia serving in the Second Continental Congress, to send her six thousand pins…with the shipping costs to be covered by the government.  She believed that their price would only increase, and she wanted to jump in as soon as she could.  This was so successful that she sought another shipment, and economic decisions such as these, by Abigail, allowed the Adams family to live comfortably into their elderly years…their own type of “independence.”

And what did the remaining war years hold for Abigail and John?  More separation than unification, to the benefit of the young nation and the detriment of the two of them.  On November 27, 1777, John Adams was instructed to sail to France to join Arthur Lee and Ben Franklin in their attempts to convince the monarchy to formally ally with the United States.  Much to Abigail’s worry, 10-year old John Quincy was to accompany his father on this crossing; Abigail would stay behind in Massachusetts.  The Atlantic crossing took over seven weeks as the ship took care to avoid British vessels, but father and son arrived in the port of Bordeaux in late March…ironically, months after France had agreed to a mutual alliance with the Americans.  It’s not as if his time in Europe was a waste…far from it.  He would learn the art of diplomacy, as would his son, and he would attempt to secure a loan from the Dutch Republic and serve on the team that negotiated the Treaty of Paris, ending the war.  Abigail would remain in America for the remainder of the war, reuniting with John back home for a brief spell in August 1779 when John was in between his European tours of duty, but he was at sea again that November.  Abigail spent this time doing what she had done throughout the war…running the household and engaging in savvy decision-making, including the purchase of more war bonds and importing European goods.  The length of their absences led to Abigail’s frustration at not receiving ample correspondence from John, and when he did write, she remarked that his letters were short and almost business-like.  She dealt with Nabby’s potential suitor, who she didn’t approve of.  She had to accept her eldest son’s decision to travel to St. Petersburg to serve as secretary to the American diplomat to Russia.  Despite the hardships and frustrations, the two would finally come together again in London, of all places.  John had been appointed to serve as minister to London, and he believed he wouldn’t return to America for at least three years, so the 40-year old Abigail boarded a ship in June 1784 and was reunited with her love over 5 weeks later.  By this time, the Revolution was over, and both of the Adams’s could set their sights on the creation of a nation…together at last.

Next week on History: Beyond the Textbook, we fill in some of the gaps of the pivotal year of 1776…namely, the publication of Common Sense, and the role that its author played in inspiring American troops to achieve victory by crossing the Delaware River and attacking the enemy at Trenton.  Our next episode focuses on an unlikely Revolutionary figure: author Thomas Paine, and the role his pen played in driving the American spirit.