The wives of American presidents can often be influential American figures also. While they’ve no official duties, the wives constitute a very important element of the US government. The job of the Ladieslady has progressed over hundreds of years, from welcoming and entertaining guests in the Whitehouse to activists for public policy.
What follows can be described as a synopsis of 2 very well known presidents’ wives and also their respective husbands, however more information might be found on them in history books to read.
Mary Lincoln: Mary Ann Todd was born in Kentucky in December 1818 to a prominent slave-holding family. Relocation to Illinois in her teens was fortuitous because it was in this place that Mary was to meet and eventually marry an ambitious politician and attorney, Abraham Lincoln. This union produced 4 sons, however just two of them, Thomas and Robert, made it to adulthood.
In November 1860, Lincoln was chosen the 16th President of the USA. This triggered numerous southern states to split from the Union. The majority of Kentuckians belonging to the Todd’s social circle, and indeed her stepfamily, supported the southern cause, but Mary was always an enthusiastic and untiring follower of the Union.
Mary was sitting to the side of President Lincoln in a theatre when he was murdered by an assassin. The President passed away the next day and Mary Todd Lincoln never quite recovered. She returned to Illinois and, after the demise of her son Thomas in 1871, fell into a deep depression. Her only living son, Robert, had her committed to an insane asylum. She was allowed out three months later, although it was impossible for her to forgive him for the betrayal. Mrs Lincoln spent her later years travelling throughout Europe, though she suffered from declining health. She died on 16 July 1882 at the age of 63.
Abigail Adams: Born Abigail Smith on 11 November 1744 in Massachusetts, daughter of a minister. Abigail was an incredibly enthusiastic reader, enjoying especially the writings of Shakespeare and Milton. Abigail was unable to attend school because that was the norm for girls around this time. During 1761 she happened to meet a lawyer whose name was John Adams and in 1765 they got married. They had 4 kids, one of whom was John Quincy Adams, who was elected as the 6th president of the USA seven years following Abigail’s demise in 1825.
Together with a hectic legal firm and his subsequent association with the American Revolution, he spent considerable time away from home, leaving Abigail to deal with their farm and take care of the family single-handedly. The two of them stayed strong by writing letters to each other, of which there were many.
Contained in one of these letters, Abigail spoke of her fear for women and asked that her husband wouldn’t put limitless power into the hands of men – writing all men would be despots if they could. Abigail carried on to say: “If particular care and attention is not paid to the ladies, we are determined to foment a rebellion and will not hold ourselves bound by any Laws in which we have no voice, or representation.”
Abigail often expressed her opinions on matters of state with her husband and served as an informal advice-giver to him all the way through his career. After the revolution, Abigail Adams joined her husband in England where he served as the 1st United States minister to the Court of St James from 1785 to 1788.
When he returned from England, John Adams was chosen president in 1797 and Abigail was in the main detested by a number of critics who were angry with her because of her lavish expenditure during the course of the Civil War, her frankness and the power Abigail could exert over her husband.
Additional information on the presidents’ wives, the presidents themselves and/or American history may be found in books on history as well as biographies books .
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