Love is Revolutionary
Like many relationships, the Thirteen Colonies of the American Revolution started off on uncertain ground. Many of the colonists saw King George III as a cruel tyrant who treated the colonists like children. Others were happy to be taken care of and stayed loyal. All the colonies needed to grow. They had to see that they were ready to make their own decisions. This growth set America free. It also took a lot of understanding, and frankly, a lot of love. America didn’t just have Founding Fathers. It had Founding Mothers too, like Abigail Adams. She was the wife of America’s second president, John Adams. Like America, their union almost didn’t happen!
John initially thought Abigail was a better match for one of his friends. Nonetheless, sparks soon flew between them, and Stars & Stripes followed. Abigail was the younger sister of a girl John was interested in marrying, Mary Smith. Like John, Abigail was an avid reader and loved literature and philosophy. Still, John only saw her as his “little philosopher,” thinking she was too gentle and not challenging. Man, was he wrong! As both grew older, Abigail indeed challenged John on his views. She influenced him so much that he decided he couldn’t live without her. He proposed, and they were married on October 25th, 1764.
Unlike many of the other Founding Fathers, who sent letters containing sensitive information, many of John and Abigail’s letters survived. These letters were often destroyed by those who received them, but nearly 1,200 of John and Abigail’s letters still exist. And you thought you texted your besties a lot!
These weren’t back-and-forth emoji-filled snippets either; they were beautifully handwritten and carefully worded! During the Revolutionary War, Abigail would report on the events happening near their home in Massachusetts. It was on a main road where many people, including enemy soldiers, passed by. Her reports gave John vital information for making decisions about the new nation.
As for their more romantic letters, they had a lot of fun. They used pen names like Lysander and Diana. These were named after a hero in Sparta and a Roman goddess. In one letter, John asked Abigail if there was a way for two friendly souls to converse. They were 400 miles apart. I want better Communication. I want to hear you think, or see your Thoughts. The Conclusion of your Letter makes my Heart throb…”
In that same letter, John mentioned that Abigail encouraged him to destroy their letters, but he couldn’t. Instead, he had them bound in a leather book. The couple was so deeply in love and aligned. Before, during, and after his presidency, Abigail advised John on matters of national importance. She even wrote letters on national issues to other Founding Fathers, like Thomas Jefferson and George Washington. At the time, some people joked she was Mrs. President, but to John in his letters, she was always addressed as “Miss Adorable.”
