Reading Guide History 1313
Dearest Friend: A Life of Abigail Adams Dr. Baughman
WHAT TO DO:
For your paper assignment, which will also be your Taskstream artifact, you will read Lynne Withey’s, Dearest Friend: A Life of Abigail Adams and write a paper examining women within American society during the colonial/revolutionary era. In order to do this, you should address the basic question: What do we learn about women in early America through the letters and life of Abigail Adams? Conclude your paper by thinking like a historian: How good is Lynne Withey’s book? Does it have any particular strengths? Weaknesses?
To assist you in answering this basic question, choose one of the following questions on which to focus your paper. Be sure to use examples from the book to establish and “prove” your answers:
1) What do the experiences of Abigail Adams tell us about the status of women in Colonial/Revolutionary America? In what ways might Adams have been typical of women during that time, and in what ways might she have been different?
2) The “remember the ladies” letter from Abigail to John Adams is one of the most famous letters in American history. What do you think of Abigail Adams’ advice to her husband? Did she exert any real influence over her husband?
3) What were Abigail Adams’ impressions of Europe during her time there? Discuss both Paris and London. Do you think being an American and a woman colored her outlook during that time? Why or why not?
4) What was Abigail Adams’ attitude about her husband’s public service, both as Vice-President and President? What was her role as the wife of a powerful official, both in public and in private?
HOW TO DO IT:
Your paper will be 3-5 pages long, double-spaced, and in size 12 font, with 1” margins on all sides. Citations from the Abigail Adams book can be done simply with parentheses and page numbers following the quotation, like this: (p. 23). There is no need for you to use other sources for this assignment; please use only this book and your knowledge from class to address the question.
You will turn in your paper to the Turnitin.com link found in eCourses AND ALSO the Taskstream link. The due date is Friday, 28 April 2017. Because this paper is due at the end of the semester, I will not accept late papers. Papers not turned in by 11:59pm to both links by the due date will receive a zero. If you wish for me to see a rough draft, get it to me by Wednesday, 26 April 2017
Reading Guide History 1313
Dearest Friend: A Life of Abigail Adams Dr. Baughman
WHAT TO DO:
For your paper assignment, which will also be your Taskstream artifact, you will read
Lynne Withey’s, Dearest Friend: A Life of Abigail Adams and write a paper examining
women within American society during the colonial/revolutionary era. In order to do this,
you should address the basic question: What do we learn about women in early America
through the letters and life of Abigail Adams? Conclude your paper by thinking like a
historian: How good is Lynne Withey’s book? Does it have any particular strengths?
Weaknesses?
To assist you in answering this basic question, choose one of the following questions on
which to focus your paper. Be sure to use examples from the book to establish and “prove”
your answers:
1) What do the experiences of Abigail Adams tell us about the status of women in
Colonial/Revolutionary America? In what ways might Adams have been typical of
women during that time, and in what ways might she have been different?
2) The “remember the ladies” letter from Abigail to John Adams is one of the most
famous letters in American history. What do you think of Abigail Adams’ advice to
her husband? Did she exert any real influence over her husband?
3) What were Abigail Adams’ impressions of Europe during her time there? Discuss
both Paris and London. Do you think being an American and a woman colored her
outlook during that time? Why or why not?
4) What was Abigail Adams’ attitude about her husband’s public service, both as VicePresident and President? What was her role as the wife of a powerful official, both in
public and in private?
HOW TO DO IT:
Your paper will be 3-5 pages long, double-spaced, and in size 12 font, with 1” margins on all
sides. Citations from the Abigail Adams book can be done simply with parentheses and
page numbers following the quotation, like this: (p. 23). There is no need for you to use
other sources for this assignment; please use only this book and your knowledge from class
to address the question.
You will turn in your paper to the Turnitin.com link found in eCourses AND ALSO the
Taskstream link. The due date is Friday, 28 April 2017. Because this paper is due at the
end of the semester, I will not accept late papers. Papers not turned in by 11:59pm to both
links by the due date will receive a zero. If you wish for me to see a rough draft, get it to me
by Wednesday, 26 April 2017.