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Title Page of the 1780 Massachusetts Constitution

State of Massachusetts-Bay; Printed by Benjamin Edes & Son · 1780

The title page of the first printed edition of the Massachusetts Constitution, drafted by John Adams, Abigail Adams's husband.

This document, drafted by her husband John Adams, reflects the political world Abigail Adams lived in and wrote about.

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Scan of the title page of the 1780 Massachusetts Constitution, printed in Boston by Benjamin Edes & Sons. Text reads 'A Constitution or Frame of Government' agreed upon by the Delegates of the People of the State of Massachusetts-Bay in Convention, with a note about revision by constituents.
Title page of the 1780 Massachusetts Constitution, printed by Benjamin Edes & Son, Boston.

About this source

What it is

This is the title page of the first published edition of the 1780 Massachusetts Constitution, printed in Boston by Benjamin Edes & Sons. The constitution was drafted largely by John Adams.

Why it matters

The Massachusetts Constitution was one of the founding documents of the new United States, shaping ideas about government that influenced the U.S. Constitution. As John Adams's wife and close correspondent, Abigail Adams lived through the political work this document represents and often discussed such matters in her letters.

Look closer

  • What does the title page tell us about who approved and printed this document?
  • Why might a constitution need to be agreed upon by delegates rather than written by one person alone?
  • How might Abigail Adams's own views have shaped or been shaped by debates like this one?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of Abigail Adams and Elizabeth Freeman (Mum Bett) on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.

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