Editing Thomas Jefferson (section)

===Reconciliation with Adams===
[[File:Gilbert Stuart, Abigail Smith Adams (Mrs. John Adams), 1800-1815, NGA 42934.jpg|thumb|In 1804, [[Abigail Adams]], wife and confidant of [[John Adams]], was one of several people who intervened in an attempt to reconcile differences between Jefferson and John Adams. Jefferson and Adams ultimately reconciled, established a lengthy correspondence and renewed friendship, which historian [[David McCullough]] has called "one of the most extraordinary correspondences in American history." On July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, Jefferson and Adams died within hours of each other, which then U.S. president [[John Quincy Adams]] called "visible and palpable remarks of Divine Favor."]]
Jefferson and [[John Adams]] became good friends in the first decades of their political careers, serving together in the Continental Congress in the 1770s and in Europe in the 1780s. The Federalist/Republican split of the 1790s divided them, however, and Adams felt betrayed by Jefferson's sponsorship of partisan attacks, such as those of James Callender. Jefferson was angered by Adams' appointment of "midnight judges".<ref name=Freeman2008>[[#Freeman1|Freeman, 2008]], p.  12.</ref> The two men did not communicate directly for more than a decade after Jefferson succeeded Adams as president.<ref>[[#Ellis03|Ellis, 2003]], pp. 207, 209.</ref> A brief correspondence took place between [[Abigail Adams]] and Jefferson after Jefferson's daughter Polly died in 1804, in an attempt at reconciliation unknown to Adams. However, an exchange of letters resumed open hostilities between Adams and Jefferson.<ref name=Freeman2008/>

As early as 1809, [[Benjamin Rush]] began to prod the two through correspondence to re-establish contact.<ref name=Freeman2008/> In 1812, Adams wrote a short New Year's greeting to Jefferson, prompted earlier by Rush, to which Jefferson warmly responded. This initial correspondence began what historian [[David McCullough]] calls "one of the most extraordinary correspondences in American history".<ref>[[#McCullough|McCullough, 2001]], pp. 603–605.</ref> Over the next 14 years, Jefferson and Adams exchanged 158 letters discussing their political differences, justifying their respective roles in events, and debating the revolution's import to the world.<ref>[[#Ellis03|Ellis, 2003]], pp. 213, 230.</ref>

When Adams died on July 4, 1826, the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, his last words were an acknowledgment of his longtime friend and rival. "Thomas Jefferson survives", Adams said, unaware that Jefferson had died a few hours earlier.<ref>[[#McCullough|McCullough, 2001]], p. 646.</ref><ref>[[#Ellis03|Ellis, 2003]], p. 248.</ref><ref>[https://blogs.loc.gov/headlinesandheroes/2022/07/deaths-of-john-adams-and-thomas-jefferson-on-july-4th/ "Deaths of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson on July 4th"], Library of Congress, July 6, 2022</ref>