McDonald, Forrest. Our Digital Encyclopedia has all of the answers students and teachers need. London, UK: Penguin Books. Fifteen states cast electoral votes in 1792: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Vermont, and Virginia. (Two electors from Maryland and one from Vermont were absent and did not vote.) 46. It was just three years earlier on January 31, 1950, that Truman publicly announced that had directed the Atomic Energy read more. North Carolina and Rhode Island had not yet ratified the Constitution. On Democracy. There were 12 names on the ballot which is a lot by current standards where we are used to our two-party system and maybe some independents. Elected President. Print. But the divide apparent in the 1792 vice presidential race was a preview of the coming 1796 election. James Madison later called the rambling first draft a "strange production". (e) Two electors from Maryland did not vote. All Rights Reserved. George Washington, as the first president, was well aware of the great responsibility of defining the American presidency. Our Digital Encyclopedia has all of the answers students and teachers need. United States presidential election of 1792, A History of U.S. Presidential Elections in Maps. The second inauguration was in Philadelphia, held in the Senate Chamber of Congress Hall on March 4, 1793. Federal power, strictly limited, was reserved to the Congress of the Confederation whose "President of the United States in Congress Assembled" was also chair of the Committee of the States which aimed to fulfill a function similar to that of the modern Cabinet. 19. level 2. **In this election, and in others until 1804, each elector voted for two individuals without indicating which was to be president and which was to be vice president. Need help with homework? One month after President Washingtonleft Mount Vernon, Martha Washington set out on her own triumphant trip to the seat of the new government in New York. All Rights Reserved. North Carolina and Rhode Island were unable to participate because they had not yet ratified the Constitution. Washington was both an obvious first choice for president and possibly the only truly viable choice. N.p. [3] Adams received 34 electoral votes, one short of a majority because the Constitution did not require an outright majority in the Electoral College prior to ratification of the Twelfth Amendment to elect a runner-up as vice president, Adams was elected to that post. Between December 15, 1788 and January 10, 1789, the presidential electors were chosen in each of the states. Thefirst draft of over seventy pages had been prepared by Washington's aide David Humphreys and included extensive recommendations to Congress on such topics as internal improvements, military affairs, international treaties, and the expansion of national borders. On February 4, 1789, the Electoral College convened. In 1789, the first presidential election, George Washington was unanimously elected president of the United States. According to Article II of the Constitution, each elector in the Electoral College possessed two votes. They had no chance of unseating Washington, but hoped to win the vice presidency by defeating the incumbent, Adams. Greenstein, Fred I. In addition, New York was unable to participate in the election, as the legislature had not passed a bill in time to appoint its eight electors. With 69 electoral votes, Washington won the support of each participating elector. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. As a result, his signature on the new Constitution was a deciding endorsement for some of those who had opposed federalization. February 20, 2017. https://www.britannica.com/event/United-States-presidential-election-of-1792, George Washington's Mount Vernon - Presidential Election of 1792, Maps of World - U.S. Presidential Election 1792, Gilbert Stuart: portrait of George Washington, United States presidential election of 1789, United States presidential election of 1796. The 17881789 United States presidential election was the first quadrennial presidential election. pp. This was the only U.S. presidential election that spanned two calendar years without a contingent election and the first national presidential election in American history. A series of electors from each state would cast their votes for the chosen candidates one first-choice pick and one second-choice. However, some advisers and fellow statesmen argued that the volatile political climatemarked not only by the ongoing conflict between Great Britain and France but also by a growing internal dispute between Federalists and Anti-Federalists that often divided along regional linesdemanded a president who could reliably maintain the young countrys stability. Adams received 77 votes as Washington's running mate on the Federalist ticket to 50 for Democratic-Republican George Clinton, 4 for Thomas Jefferson, and 1 for Aaron Burr. Lanham, MD: University Press of America, 1987. Dahl, Robert A. 2023 Mount Vernon Ladies Association. After he agreed to come out of retirement, he was elected with ease unanimously; Washington did not select a running mate as that concept was not yet developed. But Washington himself did absolutely no public campaigning, and even cast doubt on whether he would take the job if elected. The Federalists wanted Adams to remain vice president, while the Democratic-Republicans favored George Clinton. (b) Less than 1.8% of the population voted: the 1790 Census would count a total population of 3.0million with a free population of 2.4million and 600,000 slaves in those states casting electoral votes. OnMay 16 1789, Mrs. Washington and her grandchildren, Nelly and Washy, embarked on an 11-day journey through Baltimore, Philadelphia, and more. (Four remaining votes were cast for Jefferson and one for Burr.) document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription. Those chosen would cast their votes a month later, on February 4. That would make John Adams the leading person who ran against Washington in the 1788 election, as he served as the VP. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. Creating the American Presidency, 1775-1789. They find this improbable because Armstrong of Pennsylvania was not nationally famoushis public service to that date consisted of being a medical officer during the American Revolution and, at most, a single year as a Pennsylvania judge. State legislatures chose different methods:[19]. One of the ragged legions of gold and silver prospectors who combed the Rocky Mountains searching for fortune in the 1860s,AlferdPacker also supplemented his meager income read more, On January 7, 1891, Zora Neale Hurston, novelist and folklorist, is born inNotasulga, Alabama. Have Any U.S. Presidents Decided Not to Run For a Second Term? Discover what made Washington "first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen". Mount Vernon is owned and maintained by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union, a private, non-profit organization. His journey northward was a celebratory procession as people in every town and village through which he passed turned out to greet him, often with banners and speeches and in some places with triumphal arches. Mount Vernon is owned and maintained by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union, a private, non-profit organization. Despite fears that Fidel Castro, whose rebel army helped to overthrow Batista, might have communist leanings, the U.S. read more, In his final State of the Union address before Congress, President Harry S. Truman tells the world that that the United States has developed a hydrogen bomb. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Washington, who remained immensely popular throughout the United States, thus eventually agreed to run for reelection in 1792. At that moment, the Chancellor of the State of New York, Robert Livingston, the person who administered the oath to the first chief executive, exclaimed, "Long live George Washington, President of the United States! ", D. Jason BerggrenGeorgia Southwestern State University. But there was never any evidence that it was true. He made the comments to Washington Post journalists in an . Michaelsen, William B. Learn about the vital role that Washington played during our founding. John Adams and George Clinton both played a part in each election. Washingtons position as a commander in the Revolutionary War against Great Britain placed him in high esteem. There was no precedent for this office in a world full of kings, leaving Washington the monumental task of figuring out how to act like a president. All Rights Reserved. (a) New York's legislature did not choose electors on time. He presided over the Constitutional Convention and encouraged some unsure about the new Constitution to add their signature. The retired general said that he had "no wish which aspires beyond the humble and happy lot of living and dying a private citizen" at his Mount Vernon farm. Many of these names are no longer widely known following their loss and lack of later political achievement. In order to win the presidency, a candidate needs a majority of 270 electoral votes out of a possible 538. Print. In 1788, fifty six year old George Washington, was chosen to be the first president of the United States of America. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996. Between the Revolutionary War and Constitutional Convention, Washington secured his position as a trusted leader. In both the election of 1789 and 1792 Washington received all votes from the Electoral College. Regional and partisan divisions were evident in the vote distribution. The Mount Vernon Ladies Association has been maintaining the Mount Vernon Estate since they acquired it from the Washington family in 1858. Have Any U.S. Presidents Decided Not to Run For a Second Term? The next highest total was that of Founding Father John Jay, who got nine of the second choice votes compared with six for both R.H. Harrison and John Routledge. Since leaving the hands of the Washington family in 1876, it has been treasured and preserved by several noted private collectors. John Jay was similar to John Adams regarding his influence in politics and foreign affairs. By then, Anderson was in the twilight of a career that was equal parts acclaimed and hamstrung by racism. The results of the 1792 U.S. presidential election are provided in the table. The remaining 35 electoral votes were split among 10 different candidates, including John Jay, who finished second with nine electoral votes. The Campaign and Election of 1796: Throughout Washington's presidency, Vice President Adams regarded himself as the heir apparent. Editor's . (The previous two were the presidential elections of 1789 and 1792, in which George Washington ran without serious opposition.) New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1998. Vol. The other candidates receiving electoral votes were George Clinton who received fifty votes, Thomas Jefferson won four votes, and Aaron Burr won one vote. For example, in Maryland, a state with a statewide popular vote, unofficial parties campaigned locally, advertising. John Adams and George Clinton both played a part in each election. Of course, everyone also loves a president that served in the military as General Washington did. New York: McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, 1983. HISTORY reviews and updates its content regularly to ensure it is complete and accurate. [7], Source (Popular Vote): A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787-1825[8]. "I walk on untrodden ground," was a frequent comment he made in the days leading up to his first inauguration. Unanimously elected twice, President George Washington helped shape the office's future role and powers, as well as set both formal and informal precedents for future presidents. The remainder of the votes were divided among 10 other candidates. Because Washington was from Virginia, then the largest state, many assumed that electors would choose a vice president from a northern state. Major General William Howe Howe directed British troops during the early years of the war. He formed the Democratic-Republican Party along with Anti-Federalist Thomas Jefferson in 1792. As expected, George Washington won the . We don't accept government funding and rely upon private contributions to help preserve George Washington's home and legacy. This is largely ceremonial: Because electors nearly always vote with their party, presidential elections are essentially decided on Election Day. "Alexander Hamilton". He was both a national hero and the favorite son of Virginia, the largest state at the time. Washington was re-elected unanimously, receiving one vote from each of the 132 participating electors. The Constitution stipulated that the position would be awarded to the runner-up in the Presidential election. Many Democratic-Republicans would have preferred to nominate Thomas Jefferson, their ideological leader and Washington's Secretary of State. George Washington, as the first president, was well aware of the great responsibility of defining the American presidency. Skeptics observe that Armstrong received his single vote from a Georgia elector. Because of this, it is difficult to use modern-day terminology to describe the relationship among the candidates in this election. Washington was supported by practically all sides throughout his presidency and gained more popularity with the passage of the Bill of Rights. Of the states with complete returns, only Pennsylvania saw real partisan competition; a Federalist electoral slate pledged to Washington and Adams was selected, although one elector voted for Washington and Clinton. But Washington's tremendous popularity was not transferable to Adams across the country, as the Vice President lost the South. Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, 2000. Source: "The Electoral College Count for the Presidential Election of 1789". Join the thousands of fellow patriots who rely on our 5-minute newsletter to stay informed on the key events and trends that shaped our nation's past and continue to shape its present. The president and vice president are the only elected federal officials chosen by the Electoral College instead of by direct popular vote. We don't accept government funding and rely upon private contributions to help preserve George Washington's home and legacy. Advertisement. in English. Of the remaining candidates, only Adams, Jay, and Hancock received votes from more than one state; with 34 votes, Adams finished second behind only Washington, and by virtue of which fact was elected vice president. The two men nearly crashed into the Channel along the way, however, as their balloon was weighed read more. These men would cast their votes just under a month later, on February 4th. We don't accept government funding and rely upon private contributions to help preserve George Washington's home and legacy. Those secondary votes allowed for the first vice president and would determine the direction of domestic politics for years to come. No one contested the election of George Washington, but he remained reluctant to run until the last minute, in . The enormously popular Washington was distinguished as the former Commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. 12 other men were on the ballot for that first election in 1789. Answer (1 of 5): At the founding of the Republic, it was not expected that anyone would run for President. It was held from Friday, November 2, to Wednesday, December 5, 1792. Electoral rules of the time required each presidential elector to cast two votes without distinguishing which was for president and which for vice president. The Constitution created the offices of President and Vice President, fully separating these offices from Congress. It was the first contested American presidential election . Spend the day with us! However, primary sources, such as the Senate Journal, list only Armstrong's name, not his state. The electors were split on their second choice: Adams received 77 votes to Clinton's 50, enough to secure a second-place finish behind Washington and the vice presidency. In addition to defining the actual powers of the office, Washington also needed to show the new nation how the leader of a democracy should behave socially. 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