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Abigail Adams was born on November 11, 1744 in Weymouth, Massachussets. She was the second born in her family. Her parents were William Smith and Elizabeth Quincy. Abigail had one brother and three sisters in her family. Even though Abigail was later known to help educate girls who were equal to boys in public schools, she barely had any education. She was taught to read and write at home. She took a special intrest in goverment, law, and ancient history while reading in her father's library. Abigail got married when she was nineteen years old. She married John Adams on October 25, 1964. At that time John was a lawyer. John and Abigail had five children. Three boys named Charles, John, and Thomas. Their two girls were named Susanna and Abigail. John later left to go to Philedalphia to serve as his colony's delagate for the First Continental Congress. Abigail didn't go with John so she started writing him letters. These letters reflected Abigail's reactive advice to policitcal problems and questions John posed to her. Her husband, John was also president. He became the sixth president. She became the first lady. They served from 1997 to 1801. Finally Abigail died at the age of seventy-three on October 28, 1818.



A wave a frustration struck western Massachussets in 1786. Demonstrators and rioters protested high taxation, high court costs, the assembly's refusal to issure paper money, and the govener's high salary. This rebellion was named after Daniel Shays, who was a veteran from the American Revolutionary War. Daniel Shays took place in multiple battles in the American Revolutionary War such as Battle at Lexington, Battle of Bunker Hill, and the Battle of Saratoga. Wounded in war, Daniel resigned and went back to his home in to find himself being held in court for all of his nonpayable debts. The army also hadn't payed him for his duty. Daniel then found out that he was not alone in this situation. Daniel then gathered a group of unhappy farmers, such as himself, and planned for attack in Springfield, Massachussets. Several farmers were wounded and killed. Many were aressted and imprisoned. John Hancock soon took office as president and calmed things down. This rebellion illustrated two things. One was that a stronger federal goverement was needed. The other thing was that the Articles of Confederation was powerless to pay back debt to the soldiers.