Hannah Adams was born in Medfield, Massachusetts, in 1755. Raised in a remote country town, she was largely self-educated during an era when formal education for women in New England was uncommon. Her father, a Harvard graduate who ran a country store and boarded divinity students, provided her with access to books. Through these students, Adams learned Greek and Latin, which she later taught to support herself. Despite facing lifelong poor health and financial difficulties, she remained dedicated to her intellectual pursuits.
Adams is widely recognized as the first American woman to work as a professional writer. Her literary career began with the publication of A View of Religions in 1784. The book's success, particularly its expanded 1791 edition, helped secure her financial independence and allowed her to pay off debts incurred during periods of illness. She went on to publish A Summary History of New-England in 1799, a project so demanding that the archival research severely damaged her eyesight, forcing her to rely on an amanuensis to complete the manuscript.
Her most detailed and elaborate work, The History of the Jews since the destruction of Jerusalem, gained international attention and was reprinted in London in 1818. In her later years, Adams's financial security was aided by a comfortable annuity established by her supportive circle of friends. She began writing an autobiography, which was published posthumously following her death in Brookline, Massachusetts, in 1831.