First Ladies' Impact on U.S. History Quiz

Answer:

Abigail Adams was the wife of John Adams and was a notable feminist and advocate for women's rights. In March 1776, Abigail Adams wrote to her husband while he was at the Continental Congress to "remember the ladies, and be more generous and favorable to them than your ancestors" in the hopes of securing advancements for women's rights. Dolley Madison was the wife of James Madison, 4th President of the United States. She transformed the position of First Lady into a hostess role in which she was extravagant. She also served as unofficial hostess during Thomas Jefferson's term as he was widowed. Madison also assisted and advised nearly a dozen successor first ladies.

Frances Cleveland was the wife of Grover Cleveland. They were the first presidential couple to marry in the White House. Because of her youth and beauty, Frances Cleveland was something of a celebrity in her day and the press followed her nearly everywhere she went. Although she minded the privacy invasions, she was also more open to speaking to the press than many of her predecessors. Jackie Kennedy, wife of John F. Kennedy, was much the same way. Her youth and beauty made her an instant celebrity in the press and one of the most popular first ladies ever. She was known for her fashion sense, notably her pink outfits and pillbox hats. Eleanor Roosevelt is often called one of the nation's best and most popular first ladies. Before, during and after her husband's presidency, Mrs. Roosevelt was a tireless advocate for civil and human rights. President Truman appointed her to the U.N as the U.S. Representative to the Human Rights Commission of which she served as its first chair. Hillary Clinton was a successful lawyer and worked as an advisor to the House Judiciary Committee during the Watergate Scandal. Toward the end of her time as U.S. First Lady, Clinton ran for and won a Senate seat in New York. In 2008, she ran for president but lost the Democratic nomination to Barack Obama who later appointed her Secretary of State. In 2016, she ran for president again but lost the election to Donald Trump despite winning the popular vote. Eliza Johnson, wife of Andrew Johnson, is perhaps best known for the myth that she taught her husband to read and write. While that is not true, she did provide him with a more formal education and was primarily responsible for managing her family's finances.

Laura Bush was a former teacher and focused on literacy. This was true when she was First Lady of both Texas and the United States. She launched the annual National Book Festival in 2001 to encourage children to read and support public libraries. Michelle Obama also focused on children. She promoted healthy school lunches and worked to improve national nutritional standards in public schools. Betty Ford promoted many causes. When she was First Lady, she promoted breast cancer awareness and fought for the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. After her husband left office, Betty Ford cofounded the Betty Ford Clinic to promote substance abuse awareness and recovering. She was a recovering alcoholic and worked to remove the stigma of addiction.

Anjelica Van Buren served as First Lady during her father-in-law's term since Martin Van Buren was widowed. Although initially popular, Van Buren's reputation took a hit when hard economic times arrived. She was an extravagant public spender which angered most people who were struggling as she tried to renovate the White House to look more like a luxurious European palace. Rachel Jackson did not live long enough to become First Lady as she died after her husband was elected president but before he could take office. Andrew Jackson blamed her death on the mudslinging from his political rivals who accused Rachel of bigamy. Her death deeply effected the president for the rest of his life. Even Mary Todd Lincoln, looked back upon fondly nowadays, had scandals. She, too, was an extravagant spender and accumulated heavy debts that were eventual forgiven after her husband was assassinated. She was also known to have public, angry outbursts and mood swings that many psychologists now believe Mrs. Lincoln had bipolar disorder.

Lucy Hayes was a strict teetotalist and earned the name Lemonade Lucy because of her unwillingness to serve alcohol. In reality, it is unclear if she was ever called Lemonade Lucy in her life and she was willing to serve alcohol but it was her husband, Rutherford B. Hayes, who insisted otherwise. Grace Coolidge had two pet raccoons, Rebecca and Reuben. Rebecca was sent to Mrs. Coolidge with the intention of her being Thanksgiving dinner. Instead, Mrs. Coolidge kept Rebecca as a pet and acquired a male named Reuben was a companion for Rebecca. The two did not get along and Reuben eventually ran away. Benjamin Harrison's wife, Caroline, was afraid of electricity as was the president. Electricity was relatively new when the Harrisons were in office and both were afraid of being electrocuted by the White House's new convenience. Helen Taft, wife of William Taft, brought the first Japanese cherry trees to Washington D.C. The trees were a gift from the Mayor of Tokyo. Nowadays, the cherry trees along the Potomac are an iconic scene in April.