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Why is John Adams Standing on Thomas Jefferson's Foot?
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Author: Stephanie Hagberg, Rolling Knolls Elementary
Grade Level: Elementary School
Duration: One class period
Overview:
John Trumbull's well-known painting, depicting the presentation of the Declaration of Independence to the Second Continental Congress, features two key figures: John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Upon close examination, Adams seems to be standing on Jefferson's foot. This detail does not appear in later engravings of the painting. What can be inferred from this depiction? In this lesson, students will use the Trumbull painting as the starting point for an investigation of the contentious political relationship between Adams and Jefferson. Students will analyze primary source documents written during the infancy of the United States for a clearer understanding of the complicated bond that linked these two famous men.
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