The presidential election of 1800 was conducted from October 31 to December 3. At that time, each elector had two votes, ostensibly one for president and one for vice-president, but there was no distinguishing between the votes. Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr, Jr. running as Democratic-Republicans garnered more votes than did incumbent John Adams and C.C. Pinckney, Federalists. But Jefferson and Burr were tied at 73 votes each.
The determination of the country’s next President fell to the House of Representatives. On February 17, 1801 on the thirty-sixth ballot, they elected Thomas Jefferson, and he became President at the March 4 Inaugural, with Aaron Burr becoming Vice-president.
Jefferson ultimately served two terms and history remembers him as one of the nation’s best presidents. Burr served one term only and lives in history under a cloud, as he was tried but not convicted of treason. Burr is also remembered for having killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel which was fought while Burr was Vice-president.
6 comments:
The abridged history taught during my elementary school days is easier to accept.
I never liked the account of the duel. It doesn't fit my narrative of a civilized society.
Vee, grade school history was sanitized, but did introduce kiddos to history. That was then. Now, I am not at all sure that any honest history is taught.
Look up a list of American duels. You will be amazed at some of the participants, including A. Lincoln. As for civilized approaches to disposing of opponents, let us simply say today’s techniques are more covert, if not less fatal.
what a mess. Seems that politics has always been goofy.
I was amazed at how quickly they breeze over things in High School American history classes now. They barely touch on topics to try to get through it to reach present day. The teachers my kids had were always frustrated by that.
Lin, no surprise that politics is goofy; people are goofy.
Unfortunately, we live in an age where ignorance of our past seems almost regarded as a virtue by many.
I don't think kids learn much of any history any more. Those quiz on the street videos are horrifically funny.
Sharkey, it's a travesty; the teaching of history nowadays, I mean. Those clips tend to make me want to cry.
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