Enrichment Assignment #5

In 1826, Thomas Jefferson was invited by the mayor of Washington, D.C., to celebrate the 50th anniversary of American independence. Although Jefferson’s failing health prevented him from attending, the author of the Declaration replied with his last letter—he died just weeks later on July 4—offering a beautiful reflection on America’s founding and a message of hope for the nation’s future. Hillsdale made a short film, reenacting his reply.