Page "Abigail Adams" Paragraph 3

Her father, William Smith ( 1707 – 1783 ), a liberal Congregationalist, and other forebears were Congregational ministers, and leaders in a society that held its clergy in high esteem.

However, he did not preach about predestination, original sin or the full divinity of Christ ; instead he emphasized the importance of reason and morality.

Adams was a sickly child and was not considered healthy enough for formal schooling.

Although she did not receive a formal education, her mother taught her and her sisters Mary ( 1739 – 1811 ) and Elizabeth ( 1742 – 1816, known as Betsy ) to read, write and cipher ; her father's, uncle's and grandfather's large libraries enabled the sisters to study English and French literature.

As an intellectually open-minded woman for her day, Adams ' ideas on women's rights and government would eventually play a major role, albeit indirectly, in the founding of the United States.

She became one of the most erudite women ever to serve as First Lady.