Today marks the 249th anniversary of America’s founding. On July 4, 1776, delegates to the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence, proclaiming that all men are created equal and endowed by the Creator with unalienable rights. In a time of national division, we do well to remember the truths that unite us. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, once political allies turned bitter rivals, did not speak for years. Yet near the end of their lives, they reconciled. Fittingly, both men died on July 4, 1826—the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Their story reminds us that our shared ideals can overcome even deep political differences. What binds us together must remain stronger than what divides us.