The Presidency of John Adams was embroiled in controversy after the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts. The laws significantly polarized the two political parties of the United States at the time, the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans. So much so that the presidential Election of 1800 had to be decided by the House of Representatives. What caused the issues of the Election of 1800? What happened during the Convention of 1800? And why was the Election of 1800 significant?
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Jetzt kostenlos anmeldenThe Presidency of John Adams was embroiled in controversy after the passage of the Alien and Sedition Acts. The laws significantly polarized the two political parties of the United States at the time, the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans. So much so that the presidential Election of 1800 had to be decided by the House of Representatives. What caused the issues of the Election of 1800? What happened during the Convention of 1800? And why was the Election of 1800 significant?
To understand the election of 1800 and the climate around the event, you have to look at the end of John Adams’ Presidency. Adams dealt with a growing crisis with France that resulted in a quasi-war between the French and a growing and vocal opposition to his policies by Republicans in Congress. Adams's administration also helped pass the Alien and Sedition Acts of 1798. These acts targeted immigrants, especially French immigrants, and any seditious actions toward the government.
Using the Sedition Act, Federalist prosecutors arrested more than twenty Republican newspaper editors and politicians, accused them of sedition, and convicted and jailed several of them.
What followed was a constitutional crisis. Republicans charged that the Sedition Act violated the First Amendment clauses of free speech and press. With the uncertainty of the role of the Supreme Court in the early years of the new American republic and that most of the Justices were Federalists, Republicans pushed state legislatures to pass laws invalidating the Alien and Sedition Acts. The resolutions set forth a state’s rights interpretation of the Constitution, asserting that states had a right to evaluate the legitimacy of national laws.
Did you know?
This interpretation of the Constitution would direct state and federal politics until the Supreme Court ruling in the Marbury v Madison case in 1803.
The conflict over the Sedition Act set the stage for the presidential election of 1800. Thomas Jefferson, once opposed to political parties, now saw them as a valuable way to combat the oppression of the federal government.
With opposition to the French conflict growing and Jefferson preparing his bid to be the Republican nominee, Adams began a diplomatic means to end the conflict to repair the Federalist platform for the campaign.
Election of 1800 Candidates | |
Thomas Jefferson | The Presidential Candidate for the Democratic-Republican Party. Aaron Burr was his vice-presidential running mate. |
John Adams | The incumbent President and a candidate for the Federalist party |
Charles Pinckney | Nominated by the Federalists as an alternative to John Adams and also Adams's vice-presidential candidate. |
Adams’ decision to seek a diplomatic end to the French conflict divided the Federalist party. In contrast, the Republican party was united behind Jefferson.
After the popular vote was tallied and each state designated its electoral votes, an issue began to arise. Though the Jefferson-Burr ticket won the election, the lack of Republican foresight almost cost them the election.
The problem was caused by the system of voting in the electoral college, which the Federalists adapted to better than the Republicans. The Federalists arranged in advance for one of their electors to fail to vote for Charles Pinckney, their vice-presidential candidate. John Adams thus received 65 votes to Pinckney’s 64. The Republicans failed to make this distinction on the ballot; this Jefferson and Burr both received 73 electoral votes. Though the Republicans beat the Federalists because neither Jefferson nor Burr had a plurality of votes, the Constitution stated that the election had to be decided in the House of Representatives.
This provision in the Constitution created a problem for the Republicans. Each group of state representatives would vote as a unit. But the House was dominated by Federalist representatives who did not want Jefferson as president. Federalists in the House blocked Jefferson’s nomination for thirty-five voting rounds.
Eventually, Federalist Alexander Hamilton convinced key Federalist votes that Jefferson was the lesser of two evils compared to Aaron Burr. Representative James Bayard of Delaware broke the deadlock, and the House of Representatives elected Jefferson as the third President of the United States.
Thomas Jefferson felt that the election of 1800 was a revolution. The election of 1800 was the first time there was a change in administration and government of competing perspectives, values, and views on the federal government's role. It was a bloodless transfer of power that showed that governments elected by the people could be changed orderly, even during partisan conflict. Defying predictions of European’s “American Experiment” had survived a quarter-century of economic and political issues.
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson felt that the election of 1800 was a revolution. The election of 1800 was the first time there was a change in administration and government of competing perspectives, values, and views on the federal government's role. It was a bloodless transfer of power that showed that governments elected by the people could be changed in an orderly manner, even in times of partisan conflict. Defying predictions of European’s “American Experiment” had survived a quarter-century of economic and political issues.
After the popular vote was tallied and each state designated its electoral votes, and issue began to arise. Though the Jefferson-Burr ticket won the election, the lack of Republican foresight almost cost them the election. The problem was caused by the system of voting in the electoral college, which the Federalists adapted to better than the Republicans. The Federalists arranged in advance for one of their electors to fail to vote for Charles Pinckney, their vice-presidential candidate. John Adams thus received 65 votes to Pinckney’s 64. The Republicans failed to make this distinction on the ballot; this Jefferson and Burr both received 73 electoral votes. Though the Republicans beat the Federalists because neither Jefferson or Burr had a plurality of votes, the Constitution stated that the election had to be decided in the House of Representatives
The election of Thomas Jefferson as President through the House of Representatives after an electoral college tie with Aaron Burr, and the first transition of power between political parties in the United States
This provision in the Constitution created a problem for the Republicans. Each group of state representatives would vote as a unit. But the House was dominated by Federalist representatives who did not want Jefferson as president. For thirty-five rounds of voting, Federalists in the House blocked Jefferson’s nomination. Eventually, Federalist Alexander Hamilton convinced key Federalist votes that Jefferson was the lesser of two evils compared to Aaron Burr. Representative James Bayard of Delaware broke the deadlock, and the House of Representatives elected Jefferson as the third President of the United States.
Which of the following politicians were not candidates in the Election of 1800?
James Madison.
John Adams ran as a presidential candidate under the _____________ Party.
Federalist.
Thomas Jefferson ran as a candidate for president under the _________________ party.
Democratic-Republicans.
What act, passed by congress under President John Adams's administration, caused a deep political divide leading into the election of 1800?
The Alien and Sedition Acts.
True or False:
The Election of 1800 ended in an electoral vote tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, the Democratic-Republican running mates.
True.
True or False:
In the result of a tie in Electoral votes, the House of Representatives votes for the presidency, with each state delegation casting votes as one singular vote.
True.
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