Abigail Adams And Eleanor Roosevelt example essay topic

Abigail Adams and Eleanor Roosevelt were two of the most influential and empowering women in the history of the United States. They made great contributions that helped improve the rights of all people. Their persistence and determination for a better way of life has shaped the foundation for which we live. Abigail Adams was born on November 11, 1744 in Weymouth, Massachusetts, as Abigail Smith. When she was twenty years old she married John Adams and they moved to Braintree, MA. Abigail and John had six children, two girls and four boys.

Their second daughter Susanna, died after only living a year. Eleanor Roosevelt was born on October 11, 1884 in New York City. She married Franklin Roosevelt on March 17, 1905. They continued to live in New York and had 6 children, two girls and four boys. One son died as an infant and this hurt Eleanor greatly.

As a young girl Abigail Adams did not go to school with the other children, partly because she was always sick and mainly because she was a girl. Instead her parents taught her at home. As soon as she could talk her mother taught her the alphabet. Her father had an extensive library and Abigail loved to read.

She was one of the best-read women in the colonies. Eleanor Roosevelt was educated in England at a small girls school outside of London called Allenswood. Eleanor loved school even though it could be strict and far from luxurious. There she joined the field hockey team and traveled in the spring. Her trips to Italy and France she said were "one of the most momentous things ever to happen to my education". When she was eighteen she reluctantly moved home after spending three years at Allenswood.

A short time after Abigail and John Adams were married the Revolutionary war began. This meant Abigail had little time to spend with her husband. Instead while John was out going to meetings of congress, which he played a key role in, Abigail was at home taking care of the children and home all by herself. After Eleanor's husband Franklin won a seat in the senate the family moved to Albany. Eleanor kept busy by learning about politics, not because it interested her but because she believed a woman should be interested in what her husband was interested in. She also helped her husband by researching issues he needed to know more about, reading documents, attending speeches and committee meetings.

This is what sparked her intellectual independence. Though she was busy taking care of the home by herself Abigail found time to make her contributions. To help the war efforts Abigail would feed, house and take care of the soldiers. She would also write letters to John with input and suggestion for the congressional meetings. Many of her ideas proved to be ahead of her time such as in one letter she tells John to "remember the ladies" suggesting women's rights.

She also thought that slavery should be abolished. However, these ideas were not favored by the congressmen; rights for women and blacks would have to wait. During World War I Eleanor got active and prepared to help in any way she could. She would knit apparel for the soldiers or find other women to volunteer by knitting. Every week she would visit injured sailors and marines in the hospitals.

She also helped start the Navy Relief Society. After the war ended she joined the League of Women Voters. She was convinced to make speeches at women's luncheons, which won her the financial chair in the league. Then in 1922 she joined the Women's Trade Union to help women get better working conditions.

The once shy woman who thought a woman's place was to serve her husband became a Leader in New York state politics. After the revolution Abigail and her family spent a while in England on business. They returned to a celebration in their honor. John's popularity led him to the honor of being the first vice president of the United Stated of America and Abigail to being the "second lady". Life as "second lady" was stressful, she was expected to entertain constantly, nurse ill family members, run a large house hold on a small budget and give John her political opinions. Then in 1797 George Washington declined running for presidency for a third term and John Adams became the President and Abigail the First Lady.

John moved first to Washington by himself and he wrote to Abigail saying "I never wanted your advice and assistance more in my life". As first lady, Abigail made it a point to be involved and make changes. She once said "I will never consent to have our sex considered in an inferior point of light, if a woman does not hold the reins of government I see no reason for her not judging how they are conducted". She also taught a young black boy to read and put him in school even though it outraged some people.

After John Adams presidency he and Abigail moved to the family farm in Quincy, Massachusetts where she died on October 28, 1818. In 1932 Franklin Roosevelt was elected president and Eleanor revolutionized the role of First Lady. She commences her work for the fight for women and minorities, along with antipoverty programs, and world peace. In 1934 Eleanor helped to launch the National Youth Administration, a program that helps provide jobs and training for young people. She loved the people and refused to ride in the white house limousine but instead walked and said Americans were "wonderful" and "I simply can't imagine being afraid of going among them as I always have done, and always shall".

During World War II Eleanor did everything she could and more to help. A short time after the war ended Franklin died and president Truman appointed Eleanor, a U.S. delegate to the United Nations and it was there that she spent much of her time and energy. She served as chair of the UN Human rights committee and co-drafted the International Declaration of Human Rights which was adopted by the UN on December 10, 1948. In 1953 President Eisenhower neglected to reappoint her to the UN so she decided to travel the world. Then in 1961 she was reappointed to the UN by president Kennedy where she served a short term until she died on November 7, 1962. Abigail Adams and Eleanor Roosevelt were two powerful, persistent, and hard working women in history.

Even through the hard times they sustained, and fought till the end. They were women's rights advocates as well as human rights promoters. They were truly unique and beneficial and will be forever remembered.

Bibliography

B ober, Natalie S. Abigail Adams: Witness to a Revolution. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, New York, NY, 1995.
Lash, Joseph P. Love Eleanor: Eleanor Roosevelt and Her Friends. Doubleday and Company, INC. Garden City, New York, 1982.
McAuley, Karen. Eleanor Roosevelt. Chelsea House Publishers, New York, 1987.
Osborne, Angela. Abigail Adams. Chelsea House Publishers, New York, 1989.