Episode 193: Partisans, The Friendship & Rivalry of Adams & Jefferson

by Holly WhiteJuly 3, 2018

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John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Two drafters and signers of the Declaration of Independence, two diplomats who served the United States abroad in Europe, and two men who went on to serve as vice president and president of the United States. Both men left indelible marks on American society.

Adams and Jefferson are two founders who captivate the attention of and greatly interest Americans today, so in honor of the 242nd anniversary of the Declaration of Independence and the 192nd anniversary of their deaths, we will explore their lives and relationship.

Barbara Oberg and Sara Georgini, two historians and documentary editors, join us from the Papers of Thomas Jefferson and the Adams Papers Editorial Project, so we can explore the lives and relationships of John and Abigail Adams and Thomas Jefferson.

About the Show

Ben Franklin’s World is a podcast about early American history.

It is a show for people who love history and for those who want to know more about the historical people and events that have impacted and shaped our present-day world.

Each episode features a conversation with a historian who helps us shed light on important people and events in early American history.

Ben Franklin’s World is a production of the Omohundro Institute.

Episode Summary

Barbara Oberg, General Editor Emerita of The Papers of Thomas Jefferson, and Sara Georgini, Series Editor of The Papers of John Adams, join us to explore the lives and relationships of John and Abigail Adams and Thomas Jefferson.

During our conversation and exploration, Barbara and Sara reveal the value of the correspondence between John and Abigail Adams and Thomas Jefferson and what it reveals about life and politics during the American Revolution and the early republic periods; Details about how the Adamses became friends and correspondents with Thomas Jefferson; And, information about what caused the breach in their friendships and what led them to reconcile after more than a decade of silence.

What You’ll Discover

The value of the correspondence between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson
Why it took so long to publish the complete Adams-Jefferson correspondence
The hunt for Adams and Jefferson Papers
The correspondence between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson
How documentary editors come to “know” the people who write their papers
The editing projects behind the published volumes of papers by Adams and Jefferson
Why Lester Cappon may have organized the Adams-Jefferson correspondence into 13 chapters
How John Adams and Thomas Jefferson became correspondents and friends
What Adams and Jefferson thought about their contributions to the Declaration of Independence
The highs and lows of the Adams-Jefferson relationship
The Election of 1796
How Adams and Jefferson viewed the other’s presidency
Relationship and correspondence between Abigail Adams and Thomas Jefferson
The reconciliation between John Adams and Thomas Jefferson
What Adams and Jefferson thought about their careers and achievements as they aged
The death of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson on July 4, 1826
The legacy of the Adams-Jefferson relationship