"Politics! Politics? And do women not live politics, John Adams? When I go to the cupboard and I find no coffee, no sugar, no pims, no meat, am I not living politics?"
You 'people' ragging on Abigail Adams, don't get it. She was a woman ahead of her time who knew right from wrong & spoke out. For the time, she and John had what was nearly unheard of. A marriage of equals. He was smart not to delegate her to the kitchens, often discussing politics with her, he could TRUST her. Suffering in silence causes anger to boil to the surface. He was not 'whipped' but wise to let her blow off steam. One of the great marriages, their letters beginning "My dearest Friend."
She was not ultimately a modern feminist though like some may think. She believed in true equality, not the current feminists' motives, which is hijacked by Feminazis. She believed in equality based in which both sides would share freedom and liberty alike, and did not wish to deal damage to the male's side of things, but just establish equality. People likes to say females had no power, but that is simply false. Queen Isabella I of Castile, Queen Elizabeth, Victoria, Empress Maria Theresa, Tsar Catherine the Great, Pharaoh Cleopatra, Nefertiti, all of these being arguably more powerful than some of their male rivals. And besides that, they dictated the future of the American nation under the Republican Motherhood, where they would influence policies by raising their kids and teaching them morals. She was great, but just one example of a powerful woman. She is what I'd call a Republican Woman in Power, a lady from America had different ideals than that to any in power of Europa. However, this is not thought of, instead, we get lectures on how to destroy masculinity and snarl and bite and hiss at males that try to be extra polite to women, in the early American days, women played a pivotal role and respected respect, unlike what we are being taught today about how if you hold a door open for a lady, you are being sexist, or how if you try to compliment them, you are being sexist. Abigail Adams was a magnificent figure of what feminism should be, equality and just.
@@bamicinder7635 I agree some women had and could wield power but it would be dishonest to deny that through much of history the average woman was infinitely less powerful than the average man, and had less control over her life
The letters between Abigail and John are a record of sharing thoughts, deep respect and a great love. They complemented one another so perfectly. She was an amazing influence.
@The Absolute Madman Yeah, that's probably why. But only a fool, man or woman, would not admit to being frightened when their own government troops starts treating them like an army of occupation.
I am not an actor but I suspect a close-up scene such as this requires a very skillful actor to make it convincing. Look at Laura Linney's eye movements and facial expressions. Listen to the sound of her voice: it is easy to see why she won a well deserved Emmy for her portrayal of Abigail Adams. Peace.
I was born and raised in Braintree Mass. Peacefield is 2 miles away, as is his birthplace. Abigail Adams cairn up street. Shes still well respected up here.
"I am cold". The next shot shows she means that literally. Adams and Jefferson and Hamilton debate enlightenment theories and revolution and trade and diplomacy. Abigail is talking about food, shelter, and the basic needs of life.
I love this series. Linney does such a great job. I am a Daughter of the American Revolution, a Jefferson actually, but, I portray Abigail Adams for audiences and and I dearly love to do it. She is a woman who has my deepest respect. Find her books, for you will learn so much more about the Revolution and about this phenomenal power couple of this era... from her pen..
Whaa? A slave owner? You should br punished and pay reparations. I strongly suggest you donate ALL your money to the BLM. Sorry, but as a descendant of slave owners, you're an equivalent of the granddaughter of Hitler. I hope you're not reproducing, the blood of criminal slave owners snd white supremacy and privilege must not be spread, cuz it consists a crime in its own right, anf perpetuating of the old ones, of which you, your family and your race should be held responsible forever.
WolfCourtaud You’re stupid because you’re blaming them for something that wasn’t even their own fault. They weren’t alive. You yourself should be ashamed.
The John & Abigail Adams letters are well worth reading. Thomas Jefferson was deeply moved by her. He said he had never met a woman like her in all his experience...
That may be the favorite part for modern feminists. I thought that was Laura Linney's best role ever, or atleast one of her best. I have no doubt that Abigail Adams was something else. That whole series is my goto when I think of the founding fathers. Ol' Stannis as Thomas Jefferson, Tom Wilkinson as Franklin, and David Morse as Washington. What a brilliantly cast series. I wouldn't have been able to conceive a better cast if I had unlimited power.
I like that you've let yourself be programmed to think that this wasn't somehow normal. Do you really think that men only recently did such a thing? If you really think that this was outlier behavior you should reconsider everything you've been taught.
@@krb3141 18th century men of his class and education did not typically think of women as their intellectual equals. I didn't say this was right. It was just the general attitude at the time.
@@krb3141 actually, it was very common for the time for men to think of women to be intellectually feeble. There are many evidences to that, and you know its true when women were not given the right to vote until 1920. Think about that.
@@Holret We are talking 18th century. Most middle and lower class men and women were not educated. It was the higher class men that mostly studied at University. They had this attitude with most people not just women. Mrs. Adams was often called "Mrs. President" during her husband presidency. She was a political influencer and well respected with her male peers. Including President Jefferson.
I have read their correspondence...It was brilliant. When Jefferson first met he told friends he had never met a Woman like her...He meant that as a compliment...
i loved the scene Abigail has with Washington, when she asks him to deliver her letters to her husband. Washington basically says that the sooner Abigail's advice reaches John's ear, the better off the revolutionary cause. i know women were unfortunately 2nd class citizens at the time, but Abigail was a fucking genius and everyone knew it, and her husband relied on it.
>i know women were unfortunately 2nd class citizens Women weren't "second class citizens," nor did it start to look that way until relatively recent technological advances greatly reduced the harshness of human existence. Throughout history men and women developed more of an "asymmetric multiprocessing" type of setup for families and society. Men had a role, and women had a role.
@@krb3141 "assymetric multiproccessing" holy shit that is rich. i suppose slaves weren't 2nd class citizens either, they just had their "own place for their time". white male land owners were the only ones afforded any real representation in political venues, anything otherwise is literally the definition of 2nd class citizenry. stop being such a pedant. here's the definition of 2nd class citizen en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second-class_citizen. see if women before the suffrage movement don't check off every box
@@krb3141 Yeah, except where one group has all the rights, property, and power and the others are treated as inferiors, not allowed entry to universities, not allowed to vote , etc. Please don't try to soften history, women were treated as 2nd class, there's no denying it or trying to dress it up to save the image of those who participated in the oppression.
@@sammakesstuff4176 The fundamental unit of the nation, and therefore the rights considered in this era, rested upon the family unit, of which the men were the head of. They were the CEO of the family, so to speak, and women were the COO. Sure, the CEO makes the decisions, but only poor CEOs do so without serious consultation with the COO. The pure individualism we base our politics around today was in its infancy at this time.
They don't make women like her anymore. At least I've not been meeting them. Then again, men like the Founders are all too rare, as well. We've taken a downturn as a nation & people.
My history professor actually called out anyone who called her a feminist. “Ladies, Abigail Adams was NOT a feminist and I don’t think she would be supportive of many of the things you brought up in your papers.”
I love how Abigail made quite a tidy sum investing in VERY out of favor Massachusetts bonds and held them till after the war when the newly created Federal government bought all of her bonds, plus interest, at face value.
The Adams family also made a lot of real estate investments through the years, and worked out quite well. It's actually quite Ironic, the humble, hard scrabble Bostonian man John Adams, passed away with quite an inheritance to provide, where as the seemingly wealthy, landed, aristocratic Jefferson was always on the verge of bankruptcy and died owing almost $100,000
@teton99 Abigail was like this. If you have read your history you will no that she told Mr. Adams while he was in Congress to "Remember the Ladies" to give them rights. She also, as many people IN THE NORTH were at this time, starting to not like the concept of slavery and were slowly starting to speak out against it. I agree with Mr.GWilliams, this is how they would have interacted. She was an amazing woman.
This scene has always resonated with me. I'm a spiritual (not religious) person. Too many of my "new age/new thought" friends don't think that politics involves them. That couldn't be further from the truth....
She was indeed brilliant. I've been reading the letters between she and John. She puts most women politicians of today to shame. She was no harpy, no scold. Just intelligent and truly Godly. A good mate for John -- and he knew it!
This interpretation of Abigail Adams has the strong-headedness I'd like to see in other well written characters that happen to be female. I don't know much about the real Abigail Adams, but this one seems like the kind to saucer her childrens' heads if they really get out of line. I love that.
I asked my history professor what she thinks Abigail would feel about modern feminism. She paused for almost a full minute and then said “she’d think we’re all crazy”
She was right. In another time, she would have been an extraordinary leader. For the time she was in, she was in a perfect position, thank God, to have some influence. From behind the scenes was able to influence, even if only slightly, the conscience of the country.
Well done but the people who made this show should know that slavery was just as legal in the northern colonies as it was in the southern colonies in northern states did not begin banning slavery until the 19th century two decades after independence
John Adams would have never been John Adams without Abigail Adams. Every great person needs someone to tell them the truth, support them when they are down, and bring them down to earth when they get too full of themselves. A good partner keeps is all honest.
They were a team. One wouldn’t work without the other. They would write to each other, asking for advice on the most mundane things (even by 18th century standards).
