Question

Summarize the reasons why John Adams was not reelected as a president in the election of 1800.

Answer 1

In those days, prior to the ratification of the 12the Amendment in 1804, each member of the Electoral College cast two votes, without needing to distinguish between electoral votes for the office of president and those for vice-president. In the 1796 election, Adams had received the most Electoral College votes and Jefferson the second-most, so Adams had become president with Jefferson becoming vice-president. This set up some further rivalry for the 1800 election.

There was also division within Adams' Federalist party, with splits on policy between John Adams and another influential Federalist leader, Alexander Hamilton. Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr ran as the president/vice-president ticket for the Democratic-Republican Party.

There was much bitter campaigning in the 1800 election. In the end, Jefferson and Burr got 73 electoral votes each. Adams won 65 electoral votes, and Charles Pinckney (the Federalists' candidate for vice-president) won 64 electoral votes. Ultimately, Congress decided the outcome of the contested election, giving the presidency to Thomas Jefferson and vice-presidency to Aaron Burr.

Historians also have noted that this election was affected by the three-fifths clause of the United States Constitution, which allotted congressional representation numbers (and electoral college numbers) according to a formula that counted slaves in a state as 3/5 of the number of white inhabitants of the state. Without those added numbers giving extra weight to Southern states in the balance of Congressional proportions, it is thought that Adams would have won the Electoral College vote due to strong support for the Federalist candidates in the New England states.

Answer 2

Reasons why John Adams was not reelected as a president in the election of 1800 was that he was facing Thomas Jefferson, a very popular candidate at the time.

Further Explanation:-

The presidential election of 1800 in United States is known to be most fiercely fought elections ever in history of United States. This election took place between Federalist President, John Adams who was also President of United States during that time and Candidate of Democratic-Republican Party, Thomas Jefferson. During that period of time, there was not power given to the constitution to distinguish between President and Vice President in regards to casting of votes and because of that Jefferson as well his running mate Aaron Burr both received 73 votes whereas John Adams got 65 votes and the reason why Thomas Jefferson defeated John Adams was that Thomas Jefferson was popular choice among electors of United States.  

Now that candidate of Democratic - Republican Party has won but running mate of Thomas Jefferson Aaron Burr also got 73 votes and that brought this election to who among them will be President and who will be Vice President. To find out that, 35 ballots were casted over period of 5 days but none among them got majority. So it was then Alexander Hamilton who was a very well known federalist leader and shared no good political relations with Aaron Burr suggested Federalists to pick Thomas Jefferson as he would make a good President and was a safer choice and after his advice, Thomas Jefferson was elected on 36th Ballot and became President of United States.  

Grade – High School

Subject – History

Chapter – Presidential Election 1800

Keywords-Presidential election, President, Thomas Jefferson, United States, Alexander Hamilton, Aaron Burr, John Adams, Distinguish, Electors.