Comparing The Autobiography 'And Abigail Adams' Last Act Of Defiance

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Both articles, “Benjamin Franklin’s The Autobiography,” and, “Abigail Adams’ Last Act of Defiance,” are documents that have a big impact and are both very significant because of their influence on our foundational documents. In the article, “Benjamin Franklin’s The Autobiography,” Benjamin Franklin talks about the virtues and character traits that him and others should follow. The claim from his article is that he strived to never do something wrong and want to achieve perfection, and also wants other to do so. In the article he says, “when I conceived the bold and strenuous project of arriving at moral perfection” (Franklin). He is saying here that the reason he started this project was to try and achieve moral perfection even if he couldn’t, …show more content…

In the article the author writes about how in her will that all her stuff go to the women in her family and a lot of her husbands stuff as well, even though he was not dead yet. In the article the author states, “Everything went to her grandaughters, nieces, female servants and daughter-in-law” (Holton CR 32). This is talking about how when she made her will she made it so that the women in her family would get her stuff instead of the men. By doing this she is standing up for women and their rights because she is giving them power by giving them her belongings such as money and jewelry. The author in this article uses a lot of ethos when talking about Abigail Adams. In the text the author states, “By passing this money on to Abigail 's grandsons, Louisa may have indicated disapproval of her mother-in law 's decision to exclude all male descendants” (Holton 34). This is talking about how Abigail’s daughter-in-law passed down money in her will to her sons instead of all to women. Abigail though would approve of this because Louisa is using her power that she now has to do as she wishes with her stuff. This is ethos because she is doing what she believes is morally good in her opinion. By Abigail sticking up for women 's rights and giving women power, she