Two hundred years ago, on America’s fiftieth birthday on the Fourth of July in 1826, both John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died. These political rivals were the country’s second and third presidents—and first two vice presidents. Louisa Adams, the former’s daughter-in-law, was the First Lady at the time; her husband, John Quincy Adams, was the president. Louisa composed a poem in memory of the two former presidents: The rival chiefs—who all their life Were striving to be even In death…
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