27: The Last of the Founding Fathers

“Thomas Jefferson survives.”

This is the story of reconciliation--and death. With peace abroad and the collapse of the Federalist Party, the United States seems to be out of crisis mode. Reconciled even. President James Madison’s got so much consensus, one newspaper’s calling this the “era of good feelings.” But there are still important developments and conflicts. The Supreme Court’s setting new precedents. 1819marks the start of a serious “panic” (recession). And when James finishes his second term, Andrew Jackson feels screwed over by the House of Representatives, which is putting John Quincy Adams in the White House instead of him!

Then, sadly, the last of the Revolutionary generation passes away. But thankfully, the two old partisan rivals--John Adams and Thomas Jefferson--will reconcile their friendship before doing so. They’ll die within hours of each other on the 4th of July! Coincidence? Or act of God? Either way, rest your souls, gents. Today we bid farewell to the last of the Founding Fathers.

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