2.8 Life in Paris
America's First Ladies
Abigail, Nabby, and John spent one year living in Paris. It was quite the adjustment for Abigail. Transcript available at Music by
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2.7 An International Family
America's First Ladies
John is in the Netherlands, John Quincy is in Russia, Charles sails home to America by himself, and then Abigail and Nabby leave Boston to join John in Europe when the war finally ends. This family gets around! Transcript available at Music by
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2.6 Separated By An Ocean
America's First Ladies
This episode finds Abigail and John living in separate countries, on separate continents, for the majority of 1778-1781. Find out how Abigail puts her entrepreneurial spirit to work. Transcript available at Music by
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2.5 The War Drags On
America's First Ladies
This week Abigail continues to struggle with running the farm in John's absence while he continues to live and work in Philadelphia. Note: this episode contains a somewhat harrowing description of a stillbirth. Transcript available at Music by
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2.4 Independence
America's First Ladies
Note: when this episode went live on 10/24/25, there was a glitch that resulted in two sentences missing at around the 3:30 mark. A new version was uploaded on 10/30/25 with the correct version of the episode. This week covers the pivotal year of 1776. Abigail writes her most famous letter to John, asking Congress to "Remember the Ladies" when drafting the new laws for the new country. Transcript available at Music by
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2.3 The Road to War
America's First Ladies
This week, the events leading to the Revolutionary War heat up. John spends his time traveling back and forth between home in Massachusetts and the Continental Congress in Philadelphia. The first shots of the war are fired in Lexington and Concord, and Abigail starts to develop her keen sense of political and social commentary. Transcript and further reading available at Music by
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2.2 A Happy Marriage
America's First Ladies
We cover 10 years in this episode, from Abigail and John's marriage in 1764 through the turbulent decade leading up to the Revolutionary War, and right up until John gets ready to leave for the Continental Congress in September 1774. Transcript available at Music by
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2.1 Abigail's Early Years
America's First Ladies
Welcome to Season 2 of the show! We kick off this season with Abigail Adams's early years, when she was still Abigail Smith. We cover her childhood in Massachusetts, her courtship by John Adams, and their marriage. Transcript available at Music by
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Programming Note
America's First Ladies
Just a brief programming note to let you know that I'll be activating ads starting with Season 2, which begins next week.
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Season 1 Supplemental
America's First Ladies
In this bonus episode, I read you an absolutely bonkers recipe for Martha's Christmas Yorkshire pie. I found the recipe in a book called Pie & Whiskey. You can find the transcript for this episode at And if you're interested in your own copy of Pie & Whiskey, here's a
info_outlineThe second half of George Washington's first term was spent in Philadelphia, and then he reluctantly agreed to serve a second term. Martha stood by him through thick and thin.
Transcript available at americasfirstladiespodcast.com/1-10
Music by Matthew Dull