1824 United States presidential election

1824 United States presidential election
AndyHogan14 · Public domain · source
Election name	1824 United States presidential election
Country	United States
Type	presidential
Previous election	1820 United States presidential election
Previous year	1820
Next election	1828 United States presidential election
Next year	1828
Votes for election	261 members of the Electoral College
Needed votes	131 electoral
Turnout	26.9% ▲ 10.5 pp
Election date	October 26 – December 2, 1824
Nominee1	John Quincy Adams
Party1	Democratic-Republican
Home state1	Massachusetts
Running mate1	John C. Calhoun
Electoral vote1	84
Popular vote1	113,122
Percentage1	30.9%
Nominee2	Andrew Jackson
Party2	Democratic-Republican
Home state2	Tennessee
Running mate2	John C. Calhoun
Electoral vote2	99
States carried2	12
Popular vote2	151,271
Percentage2	41.4%
Nominee3	William H. Crawford
Party3	Democratic-Republican
Home state3	Georgia
Running mate3	Nathaniel Macon
Electoral vote3	41
Popular vote3	40,856
Percentage3	11.2%
Image4	x200px
Nominee4	Henry Clay
Party4	Democratic-Republican
Home state4	Kentucky
Running mate4	Nathan Sanford
Electoral vote4	37
Popular vote4	47,531
Percentage4	13.0%
Title	President
Before election	James Monroe
Before party	Democratic-Republican
After election	John Quincy Adams
After party	Democratic-Republican

1824 United States presidential election was the tenth quadrennial presidential contest in the United States. It was the first election where the winner of the popular vote did not secure a majority in the Electoral College, forcing the decision to the United States House of Representatives under the Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The election marked the final collapse of the First Party System and the Democratic-Republican Party's dominance, fracturing into factions that would soon form the Democratic Party and the National Republican Party.

Background

The Era of Good Feelings, a period of single-party rule under the Democratic-Republican Party following the War of 1812, was ending. President James Monroe was retiring after two terms, and intense sectional rivalries emerged over issues like the Missouri Compromise and the Second Bank of the United States. The Federalist Party had effectively dissolved, leaving no organized opposition, which led to multiple candidates from the same party competing. The selection process was further complicated by the demise of the Congressional nominating caucus, a system that had previously unified the party's choice.

Candidates and nominations

Four major candidates, all nominally Democratic-Republicans, vied for the presidency. Andrew Jackson, the hero of the Battle of New Orleans, was a popular senator from Tennessee. John Quincy Adams, the highly experienced Secretary of State and son of former President John Adams, hailed from Massachusetts. William H. Crawford, the Secretary of the Treasury from Georgia, was the choice of the weakened but still influential Congressional nominating caucus. Henry Clay, the influential Speaker of the House known for his American System, represented Kentucky. For vice president, John C. Calhoun of South Carolina ran unopposed and secured an electoral majority.

General election

The campaign was characterized by personal attacks and regional appeals rather than clear policy differences. Voting occurred from late October to early December across the states, with electors chosen by popular vote in 18 of the 24 states; the legislatures of Delaware, Georgia, Louisiana, New York, South Carolina, and Vermont still appointed electors. Andrew Jackson won a plurality of both the popular vote and electoral votes, carrying states like Pennsylvania and much of the West. John Quincy Adams won New England and parts of New York. William H. Crawford and Henry Clay secured votes primarily in the South and border states like Kentucky and Ohio, respectively.

Contingent election

As no candidate received the required 131 electoral votes, the election was constitutionally thrown to the United States House of Representatives, where each state delegation cast one vote among the top three electoral vote-getters: Jackson, Adams, and Crawford. Henry Clay, who finished fourth and was thus excluded, used his immense influence as Speaker to rally support for Adams. On February 9, 1825, the House elected John Quincy Adams president on the first ballot, with Adams securing 13 state delegations to Jackson's 7 and Crawford's 4. When Adams subsequently appointed Clay as his Secretary of State, Jackson's supporters denounced the arrangement as a "Corrupt bargain."

Aftermath

The election's controversial conclusion had profound political consequences. Andrew Jackson and his supporters immediately began organizing for the next election, forming the nucleus of the new Democratic Party. Adams's presidency, supported by the National Republican Party, was the tenth quadrennial presidential contest in the United States. The election. The election. The election marked the final collapse of the final collapse of the The election. The election. The election. The election and the. The election and the. The election marked the final collapse the final. The election and the election. The election the election. The election the. The election the. The election the. The. The.