Summary
The Presidential Election of 1824 took place after the unity of the previous election disappeared. With the Federalist Party gone, the Democratic-Republican Party’s congressional caucus lost much of its authority, and several candidates competed for the presidency. William H. Crawford, Andrew Jackson, Henry Clay, John Quincy Adams, and John C. Calhoun all entered the race, although Calhoun later sought to be Vice President. Jackson won the most popular votes and electoral votes, but he did not win the majority in the Electoral College. The House of Representatives then chose between the top three candidates and selected Adams, after Henry Clay used his influence as Speaker of the House to support Adams. After Adams appointed Clay as the Secretary of State, Jackson claimed a “Corrupt Bargain” had taken place. Afterward, Jackson and his supporters formed the modern Democratic Party.
Facts
- Also Known As: The “Corrupt Bargain.”
- Dates: October 26–December 2, 1824.
- Primary Candidates for President: John Quincy Adams (Democratic-Republican), William H. Crawford (Democratic-Republican).
- Primary Candidates for Vice-President: Andrew Jackson (Democratic-Republican), Henry Clay (Democratic-Republican).
- Outcome: Adams was elected President, while Calhoun was elected Vice President.
- Part of: United States Presidential Elections, John Quincy Adams Administration.
- Era: Expansion and Reform.
Key Details
- The Corrupt Bargain:
- No candidate won an Electoral College majority, so the House of Representatives chose the President.
- Clay used his influence to sway the House to select Adams.
- Calhoun accused Adams and Clay of making a “Corrupt Bargain” after Adams appointed Clay as Secretary of State.
Division in the Democratic-Republican Party
The national unity seen in the 1820 Presidential Election disappeared in the struggle over who would succeed President James Monroe.
- The Federalist Party had collapsed, so the Democratic-Republican Party’s congressional caucus no longer had its old purpose of choosing one candidate for the party majority to support.
A weakly attended congressional Democratic-Republican caucus nominated William H. Crawford for President. Crawford had suffered a stroke, which cast doubt on his ability to handle the office. Because of this, other candidates challenged the caucus’s legitimacy.
- Supporters of John C. Calhoun announced his candidacy at the end of 1821. He eventually dropped out of the race and ran for Vice President.
- The Tennessee Legislature nominated Andrew Jackson in the middle of 1822.
- The Kentucky Legislature nominated Henry Clay, who strengthened his case by promoting his American System.
- John Quincy Adams’s success as Secretary of State under President Monroe made him a candidate. Adams’s supporters branded themselves as the National Republican Party.
Changes to the Electoral College Process
During the 1820s, the last limits on universal white manhood suffrage collapsed as the selection of presidential electors increasingly passed to a larger male voting population.
- In 1824, six state legislatures still chose a slate of electors.
- The other 18 states allowed the voters to elect presidential electors.
Outcome
- Andrew Jackson won the most popular votes and electoral votes, but did not win a majority of electoral votes.
- No candidate won a majority in the Electoral College.
- The House of Representatives then had to choose the President from the top three candidates, with each state casting one vote.
The “Corrupt Bargain” and the Rise of the Democratic Party
After finishing fourth, Henry Clay was no longer eligible to be chosen President, but he still held power as Speaker of the House.
- Clay had never had a friendly relationship with Andrew Jackson and used his position to help Adams become President.
- Jackson believed his popular vote victory gave him the right to become President.
Jackson claimed he had been denied the office by a “Corrupt Bargain” between Adams and Clay. This seemed to be the case after Adams appointed Clay as Secretary of State.
- Secretary of State had served as the path to the presidency for the previous three Presidents.
- Jackson feared Clay would use that office to reach the White House in the same way.
- Jackson and his supporters spent the next four years trying to stop Clay’s rise.
- In that effort, Jackson and his supporters founded the Democratic Party.
Significance
The Election of 1824 is important to American History because it led to the end of the Era of Good Feelings and the formation of the Democratic Party. It also reflected the expansion of popular voting for electors and led to a major political dispute after the House chose John Quincy Adams over Andrew Jackson. Jackson’s claim of a “Corrupt Bargain” helped shape national politics.
AP US History
Alignment
The Presidential Election of 1824 is part of the following units, topics, and chapters in the AP US History curriculum:
- Triumphs and Travails of the Jeffersonian Republic (1800–1812)
- The Second War for Independence and the Upsurge of Nationalism (1812–1824)
Terms
Electoral College — The body that meets every four years to elect the President and Vice President of the United States, in a process established by Article II of the Constitution. Each State in the Union has delegates, or Electors, who cast ballots for both offices. The number of Electors for each state is determined by the number of members it has in the two houses of Congress. Today, most Electors are required to cast their votes for the candidates who win their state’s popular vote.
First Party System — The name given to the nation’s first system of political parties, in which the Federalist Party clashed with the Democratic-Republican Party over how to protect the United States during the Federalist Era, when the French Revolution (1789–1799) threatened stability in Europe. The rivalry between the two parties contributed to the outbreak of the War of 1812 with Britain. It was followed by the Second Party System in the 1830s.
Federalist Party — Established by Alexander Hamilton in 1791, it was the first political party in the United States. Federalists were advocates of a strong national government and a broad interpretation of powers granted to the Federal Government by the United States Constitution. The party declined in the early 19th Century due to internal divisions, opposition to the War of 1812, and a shift in public opinion towards their rivals, the Democratic-Republicans.
Democratic-Republican Party — Founded by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison in 1972, it opposed the Federalist Party and was the second political party in the United States. The Democratic-Republicans favored a strict interpretation of the Constitution, a weak central government, and strong state governments. The party split in the mid-1820s, and a faction that emerged from it exists today as the modern Democratic Party.
Era of Good Feelings — The Era of Good Feelings described the post-War of 1812 period commonly dated from the Treaty of Ghent in 1814 to John Quincy Adams’ election in 1824. Americans associated it with nationalism, economic growth, and political unity as the Federalist Party collapsed and Democratic-Republicans dominated national politics. Optimism followed the Battle of New Orleans on January 8, 1815, expansion goals such as acquiring Florida in 1819, and booming land, banking, and cotton markets, before the Panic of 1819 and rising political divisions ended the era.
National Republican Party — The National Republican Party was a designation adopted by supporters of John Quincy Adams during the 1824 Presidential Election and the 1828 Presidential Election. Known for support of Henry Clay’s American System and opposition to Andrew Jackson, the party rose after the collapse of the First Party System and before the formation of the Second Party System. Afterward, it evolved into the Whig Party.
Democratic Party — Founded in 1800 as the Democratic-Republican Party by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, it became a dominant force in U.S. politics by emphasizing limited Federal Government power, a narrow reading of the U.S. Constitution, and westward expansion that favored white settlers. Under President Andrew Jackson and Martin Van Buren, it built a national coalition that dominated national politics until 1860.
Virginia Dynasty — The Virginia Dynasty refers to the election of Virginians as President in eight of the first nine Presidential Elections. The Presidents who were part of the Virginia Dynasty were George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe. The Virginia Dynasty ended with the election of John Quincy Adams in 1824.
Jeffersonian Democracy — Jeffersonian Democracy refers to the ideology of the Democratic-Republican Party during the presidencies of Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe. This ideology focused on a strict interpretation of the United States Constitution, personal responsibility to remain virtuous and resist corruption, protection of personal liberties, and the promotion of agriculture.
Age of Jefferson (1800–1824) — The Age of Jefferson was an era that promoted the ideals of “Jeffersonian Democracy,” including a strict interpretation of the United States Constitution, adherence to republican principles, and the promotion of agriculture. It was highlighted by the decline of the Federalist Party during the First Party System, which allowed the Democratic-Republicans to usher in the “Era of Good Feelings.” The Presidents during this era were Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and James Monroe. Key events were the Revolution of 1800, the Louisiana Purchase, the Lewis and Clark Expedition, the Marbury v. Madison decision, the War of 1812, and the issuance of the Monroe Doctrine.
Corrupt Bargain — The charge of a “Corrupt Bargain” followed the 1824 Presidential Election, in which John Quincy Adams was elected President by the House of Representatives, over Andrew Jackson. Jackson’s supporters believed Henry Clay used his connections as Speaker of the House to influence the selection of Adams and, in return, Adams appointed Clay as Secretary of State.
