The Election of The Election of 18001800

The Age of Jefferson BeginsThe Age of Jefferson Begins

Consider how fragile is the Consider how fragile is the New Republic….New Republic….

1790 Controversy 1790 Controversy over location of new over location of new capitolcapitol

Alexander Hamilton’s Alexander Hamilton’s Financial PlanFinancial Plan

1793 Citizen Genet’s 1793 Citizen Genet’s threat to neutralitythreat to neutrality

1795 Whiskey 1795 Whiskey rebellion and called rebellion and called out militiaout militia

1795 Jay’s treaty1795 Jay’s treaty

1796 Washington’s 1796 Washington’s retirementretirement

1797-98 XYZ Affair 1797-98 XYZ Affair and Quasi War with and Quasi War with FranceFrance

1798 Alien and 1798 Alien and Sedition ActsSedition Acts

Virginia and Kentucky Virginia and Kentucky ResolvesResolves

Finally the Election of Finally the Election of 18001800

Political PartiesPolitical Parties

Election of 1800 Election of 1800 See handout on political partiesSee handout on political parties

The Nasty Election…The Nasty Election… Jefferson Camp said of Jefferson Camp said of

AdamsAdams a "hideous a "hideous

______character, which ______character, which has neither the force has neither the force and firmness of a man, and firmness of a man, nor the gentleness and nor the gentleness and sensibility of a woman." sensibility of a woman."

A vote for Jefferson was A vote for Jefferson was vote for " no God."vote for " no God."

Adams camp called Adams camp called JeffersonJefferson

"a mean-spirited, low-"a mean-spirited, low-lived fellow, the son of lived fellow, the son of a half-breed Indian a half-breed Indian squaw, sired by a squaw, sired by a Virginia mulatto Virginia mulatto father." father."

A vote for Adams was A vote for Adams was a vote for :"God- and a a vote for :"God- and a Religious President" Religious President"

Political CartoonsPolitical Cartoons

Question?Question?

The election of 1796 was no big deal The election of 1796 was no big deal when the Federalist Adams is elected when the Federalist Adams is elected to follow the Federalist Washington.to follow the Federalist Washington.

But the election of 1800 when Jefferson But the election of 1800 when Jefferson followed Adams may have been the followed Adams may have been the most important election that would most important election that would occur from 1789-1856.occur from 1789-1856.

Why? What is so important about 1800?Why? What is so important about 1800?

Election yearElection year

HouseHouse 17881788 17901790 17921792 17941794 17961796 17981798 18001800 18021802 18041804 18061806

Federalist 37 39 51 47 57 60 38 39 25 24

Democratic-Republican 28 30 54 59 49 46 65 103 116 118

% Republican 43% 43% 51% 56% 46% 43% 63% 73% 82% 83%

Senate

Federalist 18 16 16 21 22 22 15 9 7 6

Democratic-Republican 8 13 14 11 10 10 17 25 17 28

% Democratic-Republican 31% 45% 47% 34% 31% 31% 53% 74% 71% 82%

What trend do you notice in What trend do you notice in these election results 1788-these election results 1788-

1806?1806?

Presidential CandidatePresidential Candidate PartyParty Home StateHome State

Popular VotePopular Vote(a), (b), (c)(a), (b), (c)

Electoral VoteElectoral Vote

CountCount PercentagePercentage

Thomas Jefferson Democratic-Republican Virginia 41,33041,330 61.4%61.4% 7373

Aaron Burr Democratic-Republican New York —— —— 7373

John Adams Federalist Massachusetts 25,95225,952 38.6%38.6% 6565

Charles Cotesworth PinckneyCharles Cotesworth Pinckney FederalistFederalist South CarolinaSouth Carolina —— —— 6464

John JayJohn Jay FederalistFederalist New YorkNew York —— —— 11

TotalTotal 67,28267,282 100.0%100.0% 276276

Needed to winNeeded to win 7070

Election Results 1800: Election Results 1800: What do you notice?What do you notice?

Importance of the Importance of the ElectionElection

1st election 1st election were power were power is transferred is transferred from one from one political political party to party to another, another, peacefully.peacefully.

Ushers in 28 years Ushers in 28 years of Republican rule of Republican rule and leads to demise and leads to demise of Federalists party.of Federalists party.

Slavery makes a Slavery makes a difference for the difference for the winner 3/5ths winner 3/5ths clauseclause

Leads to Leads to Constitutional Constitutional AmendmentAmendment

Resolution and ChangeResolution and Change Jefferson in a tie with Jefferson in a tie with

his VP, Burr.his VP, Burr. House decidesHouse decides Federalists are Federalists are

loathed to vote for loathed to vote for Jefferson and support Jefferson and support BurrBurr

Over course of 7 days, Over course of 7 days, 35 ballots cast and no 35 ballots cast and no one gets the 9 votes one gets the 9 votes needed.needed.

36th vote, Jefferson 36th vote, Jefferson gets the votes needed gets the votes needed and is declared and is declared President.President.

Hamilton thought him Hamilton thought him the “lesser of two evils”the “lesser of two evils”

12th Amendment 12th Amendment ratified in 1804. It is ratified in 1804. It is clearly listed who is the clearly listed who is the presidential Candidate presidential Candidate and who the Vice-and who the Vice-President. Electors cast President. Electors cast separate ballots for separate ballots for each office.each office.