Abigail Adams

Abigail Adams was born in November 22, 1744 and died October 28, 1818. She was born in Weymouth, Province of Massachusetts Bay. She was the wife of John Adams, who was the second President of the United States, and the mother of John Quincy Adams. She was the first Second Lady of the United States, and the second First Lady of the United States. Abigail is remembered for the many letters she wrote to her husband while he stayed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, during the Continental Congresses.

When John Adams met Abigail he was 27 and he was a lawyer. Abigail Adams is mostly known for her husband John Adams. When John Adams was working on the Declaration of Independence she was there to help him. She saw that women were nit treated as good as men and that women had less rights. She decided to increase women rights. She always helped her husband John.

She was the First Second Lady of the United States. She fought for women rights and was remember for writing many letters to her husband reminding him of the women rights, when John Adams was serving in the Continental Congress. Her letters were of intellectual knowledge of government and politics. In one of the letters she wrote to her husband, she wrote him to remember the ladies, to be more generous to them and have equality. Many of the times her husband took into consideration her letters. John and Abigail both didn't approved slavery, they thought is was evil.

The British Invade the South

The British wanted support from the farmers, but they unused this support and continued with the conventional war. They wanted more supporters so they went to the south looking for more people to go on their side. During this times the British had many victories. In the late 1778's the British seized Savannah, Georgia. On this day the British Lieutenant Colonel Archibald and his force of 2500 and 3600 troops which included the New York Loyalists and Hessian Mercenaries launched a surprise attack to the American troops. The American troops commanded by Robert Howe went outnumbered, they only had between 600-900 men.

In Spring of 1780 the British captured Charleston, South Carolina. Americans suffered the worst defeat of the Revolution, with the surrender of Major Benjamin Lincoln to British leader Lieutenant General Sir Henry Clinton and his army of 10,000 at Charleston, South Carolina. With this victory the British captured 3000 patriots, and many munitions and equipment, losing only 250 wounded and killed british soldiers during the process.

In summer of 1780 the British captured Camden, South Carolina. The continentals led by General Horatio Gates chose to engage the British on August 16, 1780. He overestimated the number of soldiers against his troops, it was to late to withdraw when he realized his mistake. He was outnumbered by the numerous British troops, and he realized he had just made a big mistake and there were gonna be many killed people. Continental forces numbered around 4000 to General Charles Cornwallis some 2200 Redcoats. After the disastrous loss at Camden, Gates was removed from command and replaced by Nathanael Greene.

With the help of the Spanish Forces commanded by Bernardo de Galvez, he attacked several forts in the Gulf of Mexico. During 1780 he captured a British fort in Mobil, Alabama. Then in 1781 he captured Pensacola, Florida. It became a war between Patriots and Loyalists. It was a total devastation, both sides were stealing and killing each other.

The War Ends

The Patriots won the war. 4 factors that contributed to the patriots success were: British made tactical mistakes,British misunderstood the political native of the war, Patriots were highly motivated, and patriots received crucial assistance from the French. Later on on summer 1781  G. Washington took his army to York Town. Cornwallis had surrender the battle of York Town. He wanted to reach York Town and waits for ships with supplies from New York. Cornwallis falls into a trap, Washington expects the French to arrive to fight with Cornwallis, when they arrive Cornwallis is surrounded so he send somebody to surrender.


The British arrived on September 5, French arrived on August 30.On October 10, 1781 Cornwallis send another person to surrender to G. Washington. on July of the same year Washington expected backup from the French and Cornwallis expected backup from New York. Later on came the Treaty of Paris. it was in early 1782 a new administration in England, they negotiated a treaty in September 3, 1783. They recognized American Independence. French weren't included in the treaty, thy were left out.

The revolutionary war ended because Cornwallis was waiting for supplies in New York. G. Washington arrived to York Town, This ship was stopped by the French and Cornwallis surrendered because they were surrounded. But the Revolutionary war ended officially until the Treaty of Paris. Only treaties can end wars.

The Revolution Impacts Society

After the Patriots won the war in 1781 with the help of the French. British were struggling and paying high taxes to pay the war. In 1782 a new prime minister appeared that made peace and by 1783 they recognize American's independece and signed the Treaty Of Paris. Leaving left behind The Natives Americans, Women, loyalists and black slaves. The Revolution made a big impact in society. The British after the revolution tried to protect the loyalists. They were approximayely 90,000 loyalists, 20,000 of them were formers slaves and 45,000 left to Canada and find refuge.

The Revolution not only affected society in a bad way, it expanded the United States and The Dominion Of Canada increasing the population. Benjamin Frankling in the Treaty Of Paris had negociated the West Appalachians land. Forcing the Native Americans to leave their massive tracks of land in exchange for Peace and Freedom. By 1790, in Tenesse and Kentuky they were approximately 100,00 americans living in the west. Now in day Native Americans live in reservations with problems of unemployment, and alcoholism.

After the war ended women got a little bit of respect and were called the "Republican Mothers" but it wasn't enough. John Adams' wife Abigal Adams fought for womens rights. She wrote him a letter to her husband to remind him of womens rights, but he didn't took it seriously. Women by that time were not allowed to vote, only widows could vote in New Jersey and could not have properties, everything belong to their husbands. On the other hand they were a lot of changes for the African Americans. Patriots viewed slavery as natural. Lincoln in the south signed at the south slavery as ilegal in the Emancipation Proclamation to free a slave from bondage. At the South many americans would sell the slaves to the North. In Maryland and Virgina they voluntary free their slaves by manumission. By 1810, 20,000 southern slaves had been free.