Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Friends that Fought: Thomas Jefferson and John Adams
NY Historical Society ^

Posted on 07/04/2024 1:19:50 PM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege

Despire their closeness, Jefferson and Adams fought often over their political views. The two disagreed about how the country should be goverened. As a Democratic –Republican, Jefferson advocated for the rights of states, while Adams, a Federalist, supported a strong national government. Both friends ran for president in the 1796 election, and Adams beat Jefferson by just 3 electoral votes. Still, the two remained friends. After receiving the second highest number of votes, Jefferson served as vice-president to Adams for the next four years. How do you think competition like this could hurt a friendship?

Four years later, these friends had a fight that temporarily ended their relationship. In the election of 1800, Jefferson beat Adams and became the third President of the United States. Their feud began when Adams gave political appointments to some of Jefferson’s enemies right before Jefferson took office. Jefferson felt that Adams had betrayed him. After this fight, the two did not speak for the next ten years.

With the help of mutual friends, Jefferson and Adams renewed their friendship in 1811. They wrote letters often for the remainder of their lives. On July 4, 1826, on the fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the two died within hours of each other. Unaware that Jefferson had just died, Adams’ last words were “Thomas Jefferson survives.”[1] Although the two had many differences and fought often, one thing we can learn from Thomas Jefferson and John Adams is that no matter how big the fight, true friends can always find a way to work things out…

(Excerpt) Read more at nyhistory.org ...


TOPICS: History
KEYWORDS: 17760704; adams; foundingfathers; jefferson; johnadams; theframers; therevolution; thomasjefferson

1 posted on 07/04/2024 1:19:50 PM PDT by CondoleezzaProtege
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: CondoleezzaProtege

Thank you for your post.

I especially appreciate the summation:

“On July 4, 1826, on the fiftieth anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the two died within hours of each other. Unaware that Jefferson had just died, Adams’ last words were “Thomas Jefferson survives.”

Although the two had many differences and fought often, one thing we can learn from Thomas Jefferson and John Adams is that no matter how big the fight, true friends can always find a way to work things out.”


2 posted on 07/04/2024 1:31:50 PM PDT by UMCRevMom@aol.com (Pray for God 's intervention to stop Putin's invasion of Ukraine 🇺🇸)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CondoleezzaProtege

interesting bit of history

thanx for posting


3 posted on 07/04/2024 2:05:13 PM PDT by thinden (buckle up ....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: UMCRevMom@aol.com
James Monroe also died on the Fourth of July, but a few years later (1831).

Calvin Coolidge is the only President who was born on the Fourth of July.

4 posted on 07/04/2024 2:05:25 PM PDT by Verginius Rufus
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Verginius Rufus

I’m not sure I can work it out with my liberal ex-friends. I am wondering how many of them have any second thoughts.


5 posted on 07/04/2024 3:29:38 PM PDT by Sicvee (Sicvee)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: Sicvee

Jefferson wanted to fight the Barbary pirates. Adams didn’t want to. Corporate welfare?


6 posted on 07/04/2024 4:45:16 PM PDT by DIRTYSECRET
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: CondoleezzaProtege

“Jefferson advocated for the rights of states, while Adams, a Federalist, supported a strong national government.”


7 posted on 07/04/2024 5:12:10 PM PDT by SharpRightTurn (“Giving money & power to government is like giving whiskey & car keys to teenage boys” P.J. O’Rourke)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: CondoleezzaProtege

Thanks. One of the most amazing stories in all of history


8 posted on 07/04/2024 7:17:36 PM PDT by SomeCallMeTim (C)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson