To What Extent Did Henry Clay Win The Election Of 1824

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The Election of 1824 had four candidates; Andrew Jackson, William H. Crawford, Henry Clay, and John Quincy Adams. All of them were “Republicans”, yet well-organized parties had not yet started. This election was the first to not have any candidate run as a Federalist. Out of the four candidates, Jackson was by far the most popular, especially in the west, since he was a war-hero. His main rival, Clay felt hatred towards Jackson, and vice versa. Since the popular votes were closely tied, by the Twelfth Amendment, the House of Representatives had to choose the next winner. Having to choose among the top three, Clay was eliminated and was put as the Speaker of the House, so he still had influence over the election. Being in a position to throw the election, Clay decided to do the process of elimination. Crawford had a paralytic stroke automatically taking him out, and since he hated Jackson, he was also taken out, leaving John Quincy Adams to be the only candidate. Clay didn’t have any resentment towards him and actually …show more content…

Adams. Jackson’s supporters made his image that of a frontiersman and stalwart champion of the common man. Maintaining his war-hero image to the people and deeming John to be a corrupt aristocrat thanks to the “Corrupt Bargain”, but was truly anything but corrupt. Many of Quincy’s supporters described Jackson’s mother as a prostitute and that he married an adulteress, along with many other things that would ruin his image to the people. On the day the votes took place, Jackson had the majority of his support from the west and south, while Adams had New England and the Northeast. By a close shot, Andrew Jackson won the election. While under his power, Jackson began the Spoils System - also known as the Patronage System- where his political supporters were given positions in the public office. To which William Marcy remarked, “To the victor belong the spoils of the