Families in the Revolution: Patriots in the Countryside

The Birthplaces at the Adams National Historical Park commemorate the only father-son presidents, John Adams and John Quincy Adams, and provide us with a unique setting where history seems to come to life. Our student-driven curriculum actively engages students in their own exciting and enriching learning process. This program will instill in students the realization that sacrifice, cooperation, and determination are necessary attributes for seeking justice and liberty, as evidenced by the Adams family.

The American Revolution was one of the most daring popular movements in modern history. The colonists were challenging one of the most powerful nations in the world. Americans were facing what appeared to be insurmountable odds. While the story of the Revolution's battles, political debates, and confrontations are much studied, the impact of the war on individual families is sometimes overlooked. This program will examine the effects of war and military occupation on American patriot families. Two families, the Adamses and the Reveres, were committed to the revolutionary cause and their contributions took hardy tolls upon their family lives. John Adams and Paul Revere had such profound influence on the movement for American independence because they had families who shared their beliefs and who would, despite great personal risk, unselfishly give them advice, moral support, and love throughout the struggle. In 1774, John Adams acknowledged such a partnership when he wrote to his wife Abigail from the First Continental Congress in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, "I must entreat you, my dear Partner in all the joys and sorrows, Prosperity and Adversity of my Life, to take part with me in the Struggle."