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Rob Gregg

AP US History

Mr. Enright

August 22, 2016

Summer Assignment

The book Founding Brothers by author Joseph J. Ellis, is a story about the

revolutionary generation of leaders in the newly sovereign United States of America, and their

relationships with between each other, their differences, and their accomplishments. Chapter Six

focuses on two Revolutionary leaders specifically; John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. The

chapter details their conflicting views on the American Revolution. Though the two used to be

political allies during an earlier time, their differences drove them apart.

John Adams had a strenuous relationship with Thomas Jefferson to say the least. At a

certain point the two stopped talking for a number of years. Though it is not known whether or

not it was truly Adams speaking in these correspondences; in 1804 his wife Abigail wrote to

Jefferson to send her condolences to the family about the loss of their eldest daughter to

childbirth. After receiving this letter Jefferson thought it an invitation to reopen communication

with the family. He was gravely mistaken. In these correspondences, she launched an assault on

Jeffersons character and morals in which she scolded him for how he betrayed her husbands

friendship when they ran against each other for president. She ended her correspondence with a

phrase that summarized her as well as her husbands views on Jeffersons character and
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behavior; Faithful are the wounds of a friend. One key thing that Adams disputed Jefferson on

was the American Revolution and how it had been and continued to be talked about,

remembered, and studied. In Adams opinion, which was observed in many correspondences

with Philadelphian and fellow founding father Benjamin Rush, was that the Revolution had not

and was not being viewed, remembered, and studied in its entirety. He felt many things,

especially and specifically Thomas Jeffersons role in crafting the Declaration of Independence

were glamourized all too much while the feeling of anxiety of the period and the many struggles

and hardships of others were not given due respect. In his eyes, he felt that his contributions as

well as the contributions of others were being glossed over by history at the time. The main point

in which John Adams story varied from Thomas Jeffersons was that it was not so much a

political divide that prohibited the two from working well together during the revolutionary

period, but that it was human nature, and more specifically Jeffersons nature to create a divide

that did really not exist.

Thomas Jefferson held a much less harsh opinion of John Adams than John Adams held

of him. And when he received Abigail Adams letter of condolence, he saw it a fit time to

reconcile with Adams and put their past differences behind them. Perhaps it was this optimistic

frame of mind that allowed the two to resume their friendship years later in a long sequence off

correspondences in which the two reminisced, rebuttaled, and reviewed their past experiences

with each other. From Jeffersons viewpoint, he seemed to never be wrong. Though he did

recognize the fact that he did, in a way, betray John Adams friendship, he didnt believe that he

did this because he wanted to, he thought that this was the result of a party divide, which in
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Adams opinion just wasnt there. In his heart, Jefferson fully believed that the aristocracy of the

old world had been left behind, and that this new group of leaders were patriots who all believed

in the American dream. Adams differed on this as he thought, that it is natural and impossible to

escape the fact that the elite is a class that will always be around. In summary, Jefferson held a

more optimistic view on the affairs of the American government during the revolution that may

have been jaded by his self-loving attitude and arrogant qualities.

In my own life, I can think of many analogies to the differences between two great

leaders; Thomas Jefferson, and John Adams. But one that sticks out in my head in particular is

the day to day affairs in past and current fantasy football leagues I have participated in. One

thing that most all people hate in fantasy football is a team owner who cheats by making deals

with teams who are pout of contention at the deadline. These people can be compared to the

elites or aristocracy that Jefferson and Adams debated in their days. Most people view the

solution to this problem as being to kick out league members who do every season. This can be

similar to Jeffersons view, that the aristocracy could be avoided by leaving Britain. Another

view on this topic is that though you can kick those members out, there will always be people

who do this because it is human nature to take advantage of a situation like that. This can be

compared to Adams view that though you may be able to leave Britain and leave their form of

Aristocracy, the elite will never cease to exist because it is human nature.

In conclusion, chapter six of the book founding brothers by Joseph J. Ellis, is a book that

tells about the similarities, differences, successes, and failure of the leaders of Americas

revolutionary generation. The two men that it focuses on are Thomas Jefferson and John Adams.
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Though the two have had a rough relationship over their years as politicians in the young United

States of America. They reconnect in a series of correspondences in which they discuss their

opposing views on the American Revolution. Jefferson sees the solution to getting rid of

aristocracy and the elites is to leave Britain. While Adams on the other hand believes that the

existence of an elite class is human nature. This can be compared to people who believe trade

deadline abusers in fantasy football can be rid by kicking them out at the end of the season, to

people who believe people will always take advantage of the trade deadline because its human

nature.