Founding Father romances -- John and Abigail Adams

As Michelle Willingham asked, I thought I would do a brief bit on the romances of the Founding Fathers. Thereby revealing my geekier side and the fact I do love this period.
First up John and Abigail Adams. Because over 1000 letters survive, we actually know a lot about the relationship between John and Abigail. Above everything, it was a good marriage and the warmth of the relationship comes through in the letters.
The artist Gilbert Stuart once remarked that he wished he could have painted Mrs Adams in her youth as she must have been a perfect Venus, and John Adams wholeheartedly concurred.
They first met when Abigail Smith was a frail 15 year old and married when she was not quite 20.
Abigail had been considered too delicate for school and was taught at home by her mother. She also had access to her father's vast library and developed a love of learning. Her letters are sprinkled with quotes from her favourite poems etc. There are often slight mistakes as she is most probably quoting from memory.
When they met, John was a short, stout young lawyer. His first impression of her was not favourable. Saying the Smith daughters were not 'fond nor frank, nor candid.' However, because his good friend Richard Cranch married Abigail's elder sister --Mary Smith, they became more better acquainted and found much to like about each other. Adams' family legend has it that Abigail's mother opposed the match, thinking her daughter could do better. But it is John Adam's great heart that called to her. Both were strong minded as both had views on nearly everything. Once John calls her parrot-toed and she replies he is too severe in his judgements of people and besides 'a gentleman has no business to concern himself about the legs of a lady.'
Abigail became Diana after the goddess of the moon in their private correspondence and John became Lysander after the Spartan hero. Their letters to each other begin My Dearest Friend.
Interestingly in the final year of their courtship,John has almost no diary entries and only refers to her once before their marriage and then only in code. 'Di was a constant feast. Tender, feeling, sensible, friendly. A friend.'
It was a marriage of equals and a partnership. It was this marriage that enabled John to go off and achieve. Abigail, for all her frailty as a child became a robust woman who managed the house with classic New England good sense. She kept hens and ducks,sewed, baked and churned her butter. She believed that her butter was vastly superior.
Anyway, the letters between John and Abigail shine with their love for each other. And she was the constant good in his life.

A hero of mine -- John Adams

Ever since I first heard about the HBO television series, John Adams, I have been waiting for it to come on UK television. At first I thought they probably wouldn't but then I heard rumours. But More 4 is starting the series on Saturday evening and it is supposed to be excellent.

John Adams has been a major hero of mine since I took American History as a junior in high school. He is the founding father who exudes the most integrity. He also stuck by his principles even though he knew that it would not necessarily be popular with others of his persuasion.

For example, he defended the men accused of the Boston Massacre because he believed that every man was entitled to a defence. To understand how brave this was, you need to know that Paul Revere and his cousin Sam were attempting to use the Boston Massacre as a tool to whip up anti British feeling. Paul Revere engraved a highly inflammatory print, purporting to show what really happened. In the event, John Adams managed to get the man accused acquitted.

He also had the good sense to marry a highly intelligent woman --Abigail Adams. It was a real love story and the breadth of their love is evident in the letters they exchanged.

He was one of the major causes of the American declaration of independence , but knowing that if he wrote the document, it would never get through, he convinced Thomas Jefferson to write it. He also wanted to celebrate other causes rather than himself -- such as the spirit of the American people.

His relationship with Jefferson is intriguing. They were friends who became bitter political rivals fighting for the soul of the country and eventually became friends again. By a fascinating coincidence, Adams and Jefferson both died on 4 July 1826.

However, there are many negative aspects to Adams as his willingness to defend others did not necessarily endear him to others. His presidency was beset with problems. But ultimately, at the end of his presidency, he did something that no president had done before (and something that many in global politics find hard to do today) he accepted the will of the people and left office after losing a bitter election. Would that there were more John Adams...

If anyone is intrigued by Adams, David McCullough's masterly biography -- John Adams is a good place to start. Anyway, I really looking forward to the television series and am so pleased that it has earned such critical acclaim.