Adams, Jefferson and the Election of 1800 ©2007 cliff baker
Question 1 Election of 1796: what was the result, why did it happen, and why was it significant?
Election of 1796 R of election: Adams Pres, Jeff VP Y? Electors – 2 ballots, 1 each for 2 different candidates 1 st place: Pres; 2 nd : VP Sig: Fed (Adams) 1 st, Dem-Rep (Jeff) 2 nd –Pres and VP 2 different parties
Adams and Jefferson
Question 2 XYZ Affair: what did the French do, and how did it help the Federalists?
XYZ Affair French agents (X,Y,Z) demand bribe, loan from US before negotiate treaty Adams tells public –R: Public furious w/ France –R: support for Feds up –R: Feds use support to raise taxes, expand army, navy
Charles Maurice de Talleyrand
Question 3 Alien and Sedition Acts: what were they, how did Adams use the Sedition Acts, and what Jefferson’s theory of “state nullification”?
Alien and Sedition Acts A&S – passed by Fed Congress –Alien Acts – 14 years to become citizen, pres can deport if “dangerous” –Sedition Act – illegal to criticize gov Adams: uses to jail Dem-Rep news editors Dem-Reps argue Laws violate const (1 st Am) – Jeff proposes State Nullification state can decide if law unconst and ignore
Question 4 High Federalists: who led them, and what did they want?
High Federalists Led by Hamilton Pure federalists – want stronger Fed gov –Wanted Pinkney iso Adams
Adams and Hamilton
Question 5 Election of 1800: Who ran, what was the result in the electoral college, and why did it happen?
Election of 1800 Dem-Reps: Jefferson and Aaron Burr Feds: Adams and Pickney R: Jeff, Burr tie w/ 73 elec votes each How: Electors – 2 ballots each –1 each for 2 different candidates –1 st place: Pres; 2 nd : VP DR Plan: all DR electors cast 1 for Jeff, all but 1 for Burr (so Jeff get 1 more than Burr) –Prob: all cast 1 for Jeff, 1 for Burr = tie
Jefferson and Burr
Question 6 How was the tie to be broken under the rules of the Constitution?
Rules, rules, rules Const – if tie, HOR decides –Each state 1 vote Decided by HOR reps of state –Need 9 out of 16 states to win (bc Pres)
Question 7 Why was there a deadlock in Congress, and how did it end (two reasons)?
Deadlock DRs control 8 states; Feds 6; 2 split –R: DRs 1 vote short of 9/16 R: Feds vote 4 Burr, try to force deal w/ DRs –R: deadlock 8-6 Jeff (2 split so don’t count) Finally deadlock ends: 1.Hamilton tells Feds to support Jeff Says Burr too dangerous 2.Feds maybe make deal w/ Jeff? –Keep Ham policies, navy R: Feds let Jeff win Pres
Question 8 What was the 12th Amendment, and why was it passed?
12th Amendment Electors separate votes for Pres, VP –1 vote Pres, 1 vote VP No more 1 st place Pres, 2 nd VP Y? – so no more like election of 1800