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Remember the Ladies: Abigail Adams and Respect

45 min

Walk-In-The-Shoes Questions
As you read, imagine you are the protagonist.

  • What challenges are you facing?
  • hat fears or concerns might you have?
  • What may prevent you from acting in the way you ought?

Observation Questions

  • In what ways did John Adams and Abigail Adams demonstrate respect for others, seeking to enhance life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness for themselves and others?
  • What was the identity of Abigail Adams during the Revolutionary War? To what extent do you see an emphasis on the virtue of respect in her words and actions?
  • As he participated in the Continental Congress, how did John Adams see his purpose? How did Abigail Adams see her purpose?

Discussion Questions
Discuss the following questions with your students.

  • What is the historical context of the narrative?
  • What historical circumstances presented a challenge to the protagonist?
  • How and why did the individual exhibit a moral and/or civic virtue in facing and overcoming the challenge?
  • How did the exercise of the virtue benefit civil society?
  • How might exercise of the virtue benefit the protagonist?
  • What might the exercise of the virtue cost the protagonist?
  • Would you react the same under similar circumstances? Why or why not?
  • How can you act similarly in your own life? What obstacles must you overcome in order to do so?
  • Students will analyze Abigail Adams’s thoughts on the issue of women’s rights.
  • Students will examine Abigail Adams’s understanding of respect as a necessary virtue.
  • Students will understand why cultivating respect affects the future of the United States.
  • Students will demonstrate respect in their own lives to protect freedom.

Student Handouts