Inspirational Quotations

Inspirational Quotes by Abigail Adams (American First Lady)

Abigail Adams (1744–1818,) née Smith, was an American first lady 1797–1801. She was the wife of John Adams, the second president of the United States, and the mother of John Quincy Adams, the sixth president. An advocate for women’s rights, she was a prolific letter writer whose correspondence gives an intimate and vivid portrayal of life in the young nation.

Born in Weymouth, Massachusetts, Adams was educated at home. She taught herself literature, history, and French. After marrying John Adams in 1764, she oversaw his farm, maintained a keen interest in politics, and served as his confidante and adviser in public affairs. John Adams was often away for long periods during the Revolution (as a delegate to the Continental Congress and a diplomat in Europe,) and the couple kept up a frequent correspondence.

Abigail Adams took to writing frequent, lively, and candid letters to her husband, friends, family members, and other political leaders, including Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Her captivating letters were published by her grandson Charles Francis Adams as Letters of Mrs. Adams (2 vols., 1840) and Familiar Letters of John Adams and His Wife (1876.)

More: Wikipedia READ: Works by Abigail Adams

It is not in the still calm of life, or the repose of a pacific station, that great characters are formed … The habits of a vigorous mind are formed in contending with difficulties. All history will convince you of this, and that wisdom and penetration are the fruit of experience, not the lessons of retirement and leisure. Great necessities call out great virtues.
Abigail Adams
Topics: Virtue, Difficulties, Virtues, Challenges, Adversity, Difficulty

Learning is not attained by chance. It must be sought for with ardor and attended to with diligence.
Abigail Adams
Topics: Education, Learning

If we do not lay out ourselves in the service of mankind, whom should we serve?
Abigail Adams
Topics: Service

I acknowledge myself a unitarian
Abigail Adams
Topics: Religion

Remember the ladies, and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors. Do not put such unlimited power into the hands of the Husbands.
Remember all Men would be tyrants if they could. 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 Adams
Topics: Attention, Women

I’ve always felt that a person’s intelligence is directly reflected by the number of conflicting points of view he can entertain simultaneously on the same topic.
Abigail Adams
Topics: Intelligence

We have too many high-sounding words, and too few actions that correspond with them.
Abigail Adams

Arbitrary power is like most other things which are very hard, very liable to be broken.
Abigail Adams
Topics: Power

If we mean to have heroes, statesmen and philosophers, we should have learned women.
Abigail Adams
Topics: Women

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