Question

The correspondence between which of the following couples, in which the wife urged her husband, "Remember the ladies," is viewed by historians as an early illustration of the interest and activism of women in national policy?

A. George and Martha Washington
B. John and Abigail Adams
C. James and Dolley Madison
D. Andrew and Rachel Jackson

Answer 1

The correct answer is option B. John and Abigail Adams.

Step-by-step explanation:

The correspondence that illustrates an early example of women's interest and activism in national policy is between John and Abigail Adams. On March 31, 1776, Abigail Adams wrote a letter to her husband urging him to "Remember the Ladies" when drafting new laws for the emerging nation. Despite John Adams' acknowledgment of the pivotal role women like Abigail played, he did not foresee a public role for women in American society at that time. However, Abigail Adams's advocacy is viewed by historians as a significant moment in the history of women's rights, even as John Adams found the idea of altering the masculine system amusing and unlikely.

In the broader context, this correspondence is part of an evolving conversation during and after the American Revolution about the rights of women, including their role in governance and the legal system, such as challenging the principle of coverture that subsumed a woman's legal rights to those of her husband.