Summary
The Presidential Election of 1796 was the first Presidential Election to clearly reveal a national division between the Federalist Party and the Democratic-Republican Party. The outcome was affected by the controversial Jay Treaty (1795) and Thomas Jefferson’s disagreement with President George Washington’s foreign policy regarding France. French Ambassador Pierre Adet tried to influence the Electoral College, but his threat did not change the result. John Adams won and became the second President, while Thomas Jefferson became the second Vice President. The Federalist victory extended the party’s control of the Federal Government and the Federalist Era. It also briefly interrupted the Virginia Dynasty.
Facts
- Dates: November 4–December 7, 1796.
- Primary Candidates for President: John Adams (Federalist), Thomas Jefferson (Democratic-Republican).
- Primary Candidates for Vice-President: Thomas Pinckney (Federalist), Aaron Burr (Democratic-Republican).
- Outcome: Adams was elected President, while Jefferson was elected Vice President.
- Part of: United States Presidential Elections, Adams Administration.
- Era: Early Republic, Federalist Era.
Growing Political Division
- The Election of 1796 revealed that the division between the Federalist Party and the Democratic-Republican Party had grown to the national level.
- Outgoing President George Washington delayed his Farewell Address until mid-September to reduce political plotting over the succession.
- The split between the parties grew from the political impact of the Jay Treaty (1795).
French Influence
- French Ambassador Pierre Adet tried to influence the Electoral College vote.
- Adet said France would end diplomatic relations with the United States if Thomas Jefferson was not elected as Washington’s successor.
- Adet’s threat did not have a noticeable effect on the election’s outcome.
Foreign Policy
- Adet’s threat stemmed from Jefferson’s disagreement with Washington over the U.S. lack of support for the French Government, which emerged in the early days of the French Revolution (1789–1799).
- President Washington refused to aid France and issued the Proclamation of Neutrality (1793), followed by the Neutrality Act (1794).
- Federalists preferred that the U.S. maintain closer ties to Great Britain, while Democratic-Republicans favored ties to France.
- The threat highlighted Jefferson’s disagreement with President Washington’s foreign policy.
Outcome
- John Adams received three more electoral votes than Jefferson.
- Adams became the second President of the United States, following Washington.
- Jefferson became the second Vice President of the United States, following Adams.
- Power was peacefully transferred from Washington to Adams in 1797.
AHC Notes
- In 1792, each delegate to the Electoral College cast two votes. The candidate with the most votes became President, and the second-place finisher became Vice President.
- There were no “tickets” like we have today, in which a party nominates a candidate for President and a candidate for Vice President.
- The original system led to a tie between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr in the Presidential Election of 1800.
- The House of Representatives eventually elected Jefferson as President.
- The 12th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution changed the Electoral College so that Electors cast separate ballots for President and Vice President (see Amendments to the Constitution).
Significance
The Presidential Election of 1796 is important in American History because John Adams, a Federalist, was elected President, and there was a peaceful transfer of power from George Washington to Adams in 1797. Despite this, the election of a Democratic-Republican, Thomas Jefferson, as Vice President, revealed a growing divide over foreign policy and the nation’s relations with Britain and France.
AP US History
Alignment
The Presidential Election of 1796 is part of the following units, topics, and chapters in the AP US History curriculum:
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.
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.
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.
Jay’s Treaty (1794) — A key agreement between the United States and Britain that helped ease tension between the two nations. Widely criticized in America, the treaty was beneficial to Britain but helped the U.S avoid war. However, it created tension with France that contributed to the Quasi-War and widened the political divide between the Federalists and Democratic-Republicans.
Washington’s Proclamation of Neutrality (1793) — President George Washington issued the Proclamation of Neutrality on April 22, 1793, in response to actions taken by French Ambassador Edmond-Charles Genêt that led to the French Neutrality Crisis.
Washington’s Farewell Address (1796) — Washington’s Farewell Address advised the nation to remain unified and warned against party politics and involvement in foreign affairs. He also announced he would not seek a third term as President, setting an important precedent in American Politics.
Federalist Era (1788–1800) — The Federalist Era occurred during the Early Republic, when the Federalist Party dominated American politics. It started with the ratification of the United States Constitution, included the establishment of the Federal Government, and saw the rise of political parties through the First Party System. The Presidents during this era were George Washington and John Adams.
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.
