I think often about the fact that both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died on the same night, exactly 50 years after July 4th, 1776. That seems like one of those things that would be made up as a part of American civic religion, but it’s completely true. They signed the Declaration of Independence, lived for exactly another half century, and then died the same day. Adams’ last words were “Thomas Jefferson survives,” not knowing he had died several hours earlier














