My History Can Beat Up Your Politics JEFFERSON AND ADAMS
Nov 2, 2023
Explore the fascinating friendship of Jefferson and Adams through their famous letters, from early camaraderie to political rifts. Discover the humor behind their correspondence and the significant topics they discussed, like history and religion. Delve into their contrasting personalities and writing styles. Learn about the modern parallels to their 'unfriending' in today’s social media world. Their rekindled connection, sparked by Benjamin Rush, showcases how even the strongest disagreements can evolve into deep reflections on civic discourse.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Early Friendship And Family Ties
- Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were close friends and diplomats who corresponded frequently before political tensions emerged.
- Their families intermarried and Jefferson's daughter stayed with the Adamses, showing deep early personal ties.
Politics Strained A Strong Friendship
- Political policy disagreements and public pamphlets drove the first cracks between Jefferson and Adams.
- Media and partisan pamphleteering amplified misunderstandings and cooled their correspondence.
A Decade Of Silence
- After the 1800 election Adams and Jefferson stopped regular correspondence for about a decade.
- Their public roles and a missed congratulatory letter intensified the rupture.
