Election Of 1800 Research Paper

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The Election of 1800 was one of the most controversial and exciting presidential elections for/of history. This election resulted in a tie between two candidates who had been running mates. The winner was decided by The House of Representatives. The election was a clash of powers between the Federalists and the Democratic-Republicans. Both candidates believed the winner would set the path of America's government forever. The Democratic-Republicans believed if the federalists won, they would ruin the republic and be rid of liberty that was fought for during the American Revolution. Federalists believed if the Democratic-Republicans won, American would be lawless and violent. Each side believed the end of the republic would occur if they were to be defeated. The Federalists put forward John Adams and Charles Cotesworth Pinckney for the election while the Democratic-Republicans chose Thomas Jefferson which was John Adam's vice president during his one term as …show more content…

Adams received 65 and Pinckney 64. Since Jefferson and Burr were tied with 73 votes, The House of Representatives was to choose the president as stated in the constitution. There was to be one vote per state and nine votes were needed to elect the president. The Democratic-Republicans controlled eight delegations and the Federalists controlled only six. The House of Representatives began voting February 2 and the results were Jefferson with eight states and Burr with six. Thomas Jefferson needed one more state to vote for him to get the presidency. February 17, 1801, Jefferson is elected president and Aaron Burr is the elected Vice President. This was a huge change as the first two presidents, George Washington and John Adams were federalists. Political power had transitioned. The outcome of the Election of 1800 forced the ratification of the Twelfth Amendment, that changed how the electoral college would