Behind Washington, John Adams, who most recently had served as the first U.S. ambassador to Great Britain, finished with 34 electoral votes and became the first vice president of the United States. George Washington, as the first president, was well aware of the great responsibility of defining the American presidency. (b) Less than 1.8% of the population voted: the 1790 Census would count a total population of 3.0 million with a free population of 2.4 million and 600,000 slaves in those states casting electoral votes. Control of the bicameral New York State Legislature was divided following ratification of the federal constitution, and lawmakers could not reach an agreement to appoint electors for the forthcoming presidential contest. 2023 Mount Vernon Ladies Association. However, officially, there were three names on the ballot, with the other two deemed presidential candidates on a technicality. Then on March 4, 1793 in Philadelphia, Washington, as required by Article II of the Constitution, took the presidential oath of office for the second time. Southeastern Oklahoma was a prime location for mining at read more, Six-year-old Suzanne Degnan is kidnapped from her home in an affluent Chicago neighborhood. After the war, he becamefirmly established in New Yorks small artistic community. **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. He, too, was present for the signing of the Treaty of Paris and a leading figure during the creation of the Declaration of Independence. United States presidential election of 1789, American presidential election held on Feb. 4, 1789, in which George Washington was unanimously chosen as the first president of the United States by electors from 10 of the 13 extant states. Defenders of Washingtons policies would become the Federalist Party. The opposition led by Jefferson and Madison would become known as the Democratic-Republican Party. This is also how John Adams ended up as our first vice president. Sign up now to learn about This Day in History straight from your inbox. Bowling, Kenneth R., and Donald R. Kennon. George Washingtons cabinet included just four original members: Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson, Secretary of Treasury Alexander Hamilton, Secretary of War Henry Knox, and Attorney General Edmund Randolph. "Voting and American Democracy." Answer: The first presidential elections were conducted under a system that allowed electors to cast two votes, with the . "I walk on untrodden ground," was a frequent comment he made in the days leading up to his first inauguration. Discover what made Washington "first in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen". 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial HighwayMount Vernon, Virginia 22121. The remaining 35 electoral votes were split among 10 different candidates, including John Jay, who finished second with nine electoral votes. Mount Vernon is owned and maintained by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union, a private, non-profit organization. But Washington's tremendous popularity was not transferable to Adams across the country, as the Vice President lost the South. Both factions supported Washington for president. Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty. All Rights Reserved. Congress did not officially count the Electoral College until February 13, 1793. 1. Despite policy differences, Jefferson argued that the Union would fail without Washington, pointing out that, "North and South will hang together if they have you to hang on." Aware that he would be closely scrutinized, Washington self-consciously chose clothing and household furnishings that would convey a particular message about his style and character. Retrieved October 28, 2022. However, we cant forget that there was competition from 11 other men in that maiden presidential election. Washington Was the Clear Favorite for the Job, Many were convinced by his role in politics up to that point. Limited, primitive political campaigning occurred in states and localities where swaying public opinion might matter. Photo: Brandon Bell/Getty. Mount Vernon is owned and maintained by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union, a private, non-profit organization. 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. Required fields are marked *. 2023 Mount Vernon Ladies Association. This is also how John Adams ended up as our first vice president. (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. In 1789, the first presidential election, George Washington was unanimously elected president of the United States. The states chose 135 electors, out of whom 132 cast ballots. No other president since has come into office with a universal mandate to lead. Have Any U.S. Presidents Decided Not to Run For a Second Term? Washington, who remained immensely popular throughout the United States, thus eventually agreed to run for reelection in 1792. Which president candidate ran against George W. Bush in 2004? The 17881789 United States presidential election was the first quadrennial presidential election. On the evening of January 7, 1955, the curtain at the Metropolitan Opera in New York rises to reveal Marian Anderson, the first African American to perform with the Met. The next highest total was that of Founding Father, He was also one of the anonymous writers responsible for the, He received the congressional notification about his win on April 16th before taking part in the first-ever, Washingtons Election for the Second Presidential Term. The vote totals of Kentucky and Virginia appear to be lost. United States presidential election, 1792, Last edited on 23 February 2023, at 01:14, 179293 United States House of Representatives elections, List of 1792 United States presidential electors, "National General Election VEP Turnout Rates, 1789-Present", "1792 President of the United States, Electoral College", "A New Nation Votes - VA US President Race - Nov 00, 1792", "The Electoral Count for the Presidential Election of 1789", "A Historical Analysis of the Electoral College", A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns, 1787-1825, Presidential Election of 1792: A Resource Guide, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1792_United_States_presidential_election&oldid=1141036351, state is divided into electoral districts, with one elector chosen per district by the voters of that district, each elector appointed by the state legislature, two Congressional districts chose five electors each; the remaining two districts chose three electors, each elector chosen by majority vote of voters in Congressional district, if an insufficient number of electors are chosen by majority vote from a Congressional district, remaining electors would be appointed by the state legislature, each elector chosen by majority vote of voters statewide, if an insufficient number of electors are chosen by majority vote, runoff is held between the top 2, This page was last edited on 23 February 2023, at 01:14. On February 4, 1789, the 69 members of the Electoral College made George Washington the only chief executive to be unanimously elected. Though all states allowed some rudimentary form of popular vote, only six ratifying states allowed any form of popular vote specifically for presidential electors. Your email address will not be published. (a) New York's legislature did not choose electors on time. He came across the Hudson River in a specially built barge decorated in red, white, and blue. American Presidential Campaigns and Elections. Madison was at first a Federalist until he opposed the establishment of Hamilton's First Bank of the United States in 1791. *Electors were chosen by legislatures in many states, not by popular vote. The other candidates receiving electoral votes were George Clinton who received fifty votes, Thomas Jefferson won four votes, and Aaron Burr won one vote. Mount Vernon Ladies Association. Reichley, A. James. A young but able soldier, he was inexplicably slow; and at times his hesitation allowed Washington's army to escape certain destruction. In 1789, the first presidential election, George Washingtonwas unanimously elected president of the United States. George Washington, President of the United States (1789-1797) Born out of the Anti-Federalist faction that had opposed the Constitution in 1788, the Democratic-Republican Party was the main opposition to the agenda of Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton. The other six chose electors through some form involving a popular vote, though in only two states did the choice depend directly on a statewide vote. States had varying methods for choosing presidential electors. The elections of 1792 were the first ones in the United States to be contested on anything resembling a partisan basis. Her entourage attracted considerable attention and was greeted by crowded streets filled with admirers, ringing church bells, fireworks, and gun salutes. When Washington, in his Farewell Address, published in September 1796, announced his intention to . In 1792, the second presidential election, George Washington was unanimously re-elected president of the United States. Strange, Fun and Weird Facts about US Presidents. Print. No one contested the election of George Washington, but he remained reluctant to run until the last minute, in . Spend the day with us! Our Digital Encyclopedia has all of the answers students and teachers need. Discover the Home of George and Martha Washington. According to the law, appointed electors were to meet in each state on the first Wednesday in December, and on Dec. 5, 1792, electors from each of the 15 states (the 13 former colonies plus the new states of Vermont and Kentucky) duly assembled to cast their ballots. Creating the American Presidency, 1775-1789. Corrections? Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. On January 6, as a formality, the electoral votes are counted before Congress and on January 20, the commander in chief is sworn into office. John Hancock did even worse. But, all of the 64 electors unanimously agreed on George Washington as their first pick. This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 20:03. The popular vote totals used are the elector from each party with the highest vote totals. (e) Two electors from Maryland did not vote. This election was the first in which each of the original 13 states appointed electors, as did the newly added states of Kentucky and Vermont. Several respected sources, including the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress and the Political Graveyard, instead show this individual to be James Armstrong of Pennsylvania. We don't accept government funding and rely upon private contributions to help preserve George Washington's home and legacy. 6577. The 1792 United States presidential election was the second quadrennial presidential election. Our Digital Encyclopedia has all of the answers students and teachers need. No nomination process existed at the time of planning, and thus, the framers of the Constitution presumed that Washington would be elected unopposed. Collier, Christopher. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! United States Presidential Elections, 1788-1860: The Official Results by County and State. However, neither of those cities was Washington, D.C., as the seat of government did not move there until 1800. So, Washington and Adams held on to their roles for the second term. Lanham, MD: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, 2000. Both North Carolina and Rhode Island were ineligible; neither had ratified the Constitution yet. Elected President. George Washington was unanimously elected for the first of his two terms as president and John Adams became the first vice president. George Washington's copy of the Acts passed at a Congress of the United States of America (New-York, 1789) contains key founding documents establishing the Union: the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and a record of acts passed by the first Congress. 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial HighwayMount Vernon, Virginia 22121. He took 50 votes against Adams 77. In an interview for a new book that spanned reflections on his "two presidencies" and January 6, former President Donald Trump bragged he could probably beat George Washington and Abraham. Open 365 days a year, Mount Vernon is located just 15 miles south of Washington DC. READ MORE: Why Was the Electoral College Created? The American People as Christian White Men of Property:Suffrage and Elections in Colonial and Early National America. On Democracy. In short, we can celebrate that Founding Father George Washington was so highly beloved and respected that every elector cast their first vote for him. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Shade, William G., and Ballard C. Campbell. Washington was supported by practically all sides throughout his presidency and gained more popularity with the passage of the Bill of Rights. John Adams. Editor's . Two months passed after the election before the votes were counted and Washington was notified that he had been elected president. New York: McGraw-Hill Publishing Company, 1983. Upon hearing the news of his decisive election, Washington set out from Mount Vernon to take his place in presidential history. 11037. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. was voting in a mayoral election for the first time since moving to the city four years ago . Craig R. Coenen. As with the previous presidential election, each elector voted for two candidates. However, this would have cost them the state of Virginia, as electors were not permitted to vote for two candidates from their home state and Washington was also a Virginian. February 20, 2017. The Twelfth Amendment would eventually replace this system, requiring electors to cast one vote for president and one vote for vice president, but this change did not take effect until 1804. Vote totals for 13 of 76 Virginia counties exist.[9]. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Because of this, it is difficult to use modern-day terminology to describe the relationship among the candidates in this election. Thus, the contest for the Vice-Presidency was open. Washington is generally held by historians to have run unopposed. (f) One elector from Virginia did not vote and another elector from Virginia was not chosen because an election district failed to submit returns. Mount Vernon is owned and maintained by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union, a private, non-profit organization. Corrections? A month later, on February 4,George Washington was elected president by state electors and sworn into office on April 30, 1789. Historically, over 99 percent of all electors have cast their ballots in line with the voters. Presidential candidates of the 21st century spend millions of dollars winning the endorsements of their parties and mounting nationwide campaigns. The 1796 United States presidential election was the third quadrennial presidential election of the United States. For example, in Maryland, a state with a statewide popular vote, unofficial parties campaigned locally, advertising. 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. Need help with homework? Omissions? [17][18], The Constitution, in Article II, Section 1, provided that the state legislatures should decide the manner in which their Electors were chosen. Washingtons position as a commander in the Revolutionary War against Great Britain placed him in high esteem. Adams won 34 electoral votes and the vice presidency. The successful execution of a second democratic election in the United States helped legitimize the institution of the American presidency. 2022 US Constitution All rights reserved. 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. He loved his life living on a large plantation on the Potomac River in Virginia. However, primary sources, such as the Senate Journal, list only Armstrong's name, not his state. The United States presidential election of 1820 was the third and last presidential election in United States history in which a candidate ran effectively unopposed. 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! Bills to govern the selection of electors were proposed in each house and rejected by the other, leading to an impasse. Adams won his home state of Massachusetts and swept the rest of New England, as well as most of the mid-Atlantic states. Of course, everyone also loves a president that served in the military as General Washington did. Federalists attacked Clinton for his past association with the anti-Federalists. In 1788, fifty six year old George Washington, was chosen to be the first president of the United States of America. : U of Connecticut, n.d, 1999. On the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December of a presidential election year, each states electors meet, usually in their state capitol, and simultaneously cast their ballots nationwide. (a) Only 6 of the 15 states chose electors by any form of popular vote, while pre-Twelfth Amendment electoral vote rules obscure the intentions of the voters, and those states that did choose electors by popular vote restricted the vote via property requirements. Free black men could vote in four Northern states, and women could vote in New Jersey until 1776. Historian Edward J. Larsen discusses Washington's first inauguration in this video from Mount Vernon on Vimeo. [5], As the electors were selected, politics intruded, and the process was not free of rumors and intrigue. Washington never really ran for president. Those secondary votes allowed for the first vice president and would determine the direction of domestic politics for years to come. Voter turnout comprised a low single-digit percentage of the adult population. It was held from Friday, November 4 to Wednesday, December 7, 1796. Chernow, Ron (2004). Learn more abouthow George Washington shaped the role and function of the President of the United States. Spend the day with us! For example, Hamilton aimed to ensure that Adams did not inadvertently tie Washington in the electoral vote. For example, Alexander Hamilton spoke for national opinion when in a letter to Washington attempting to persuade him to leave retirement on his farm in Mount Vernon to serve as the first President, he wrote that "the point of light in which you stand at home and abroad will make an infinite difference in the respectability in which the government will begin its operations in the alternative of your being or not being the head of state.". The second presidential election represented and reflected the democratic idea that presidential elections every four years would be a regular and frequent feature of American politics. Adams won 77 electoral votes, enough to win re-election. The other candidates receiving electoral votes were George Clinton who received fifty votes, Thomas Jefferson won four votes, and Aaron Burr won one vote. Omissions? Sixty-nine electors voted out of a possible 91. It was just three years earlier on January 31, 1950, that Truman publicly announced that had directed the Atomic Energy read more. This is largely ceremonial: Because electors nearly always vote with their party, presidential elections are essentially decided on Election Day. From there, the rest of the field received very few votes each. For the results of the subsequent election, see United States presidential election of 1796. We don't accept government funding and rely upon private contributions to help preserve George Washington's home and legacy. Boller, Paul, Jr. Presidential Campaigns. 1st quadrennial U.S. presidential election, 17881789 United States presidential election, New York had ratified the Constitution but its, See "Alternative methods for choosing electors" under, "17881789 United States presidential election", Learn how and when to remove this template message, National Archives and Records Administration, Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, "The Electoral College Count for the Presidential Election of 1789", 178889 United States House of Representatives elections, "National General Election VEP Turnout Rates, 1789-Present", "A Saturday Session in the First Congress | US House of Representatives: History, Art & Archives", "The Electoral Count for the Presidential Election of 1789", United States presidential election, 1789, Presidential Election of 1789: A Resource Guide, A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns, 17871825, "A Historical Analysis of the Electoral College", Initiated, co-wrote, 1769 Virginia Association, 178889 United States presidential election, Longfellow HouseWashington's Headquarters National Historic Site, George Washington and the Revolutionary War Door, General George Washington Resigning His Commission, Washington and Jefferson National Forests, WashingtonRochambeau Revolutionary Route, Chairman of the Marine Committee, 1775-1779, United States presidential election 17881789, Massachusetts Historical Society holdings, A Defense of the Constitutions of Government of the United States of America, Family home and John Quincy Adams birthplace, Co-founder and second president, American Academy of Arts and Sciences, Memorial to the 56 Signers of the Declaration of Independence, Letters of Mrs. Adams, the Wife of John Adams, elections in which the winner lost the popular vote, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=17881789_United_States_presidential_election&oldid=1141583738, Articles needing additional references from April 2017, All articles needing additional references, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Pages using bar box without float left or float right, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, each elector chosen by voters statewide; however, if no candidate wins majority, state legislature appoints electors from top ten candidates, state divided into electoral districts, with one elector chosen per district by the voters of that district, state had not yet ratified the Constitution, two electors appointed by state legislature, each remaining elector chosen by state legislature from the two most popular candidates in each U.S. House district. We don't accept government funding and rely upon private contributions to help preserve George Washington's home and legacy. Athens, O.: United States Capitol Historical Society by Ohio U, 1999. Critics of the Electoral College argue that the winner-take-all system makes it possible for a candidate to be elected president even if he gets fewer popular votes than his opponent. ISBN9780786410170. The Campaign and Election of 1796: Throughout Washington's presidency, Vice President Adams regarded himself as the heir apparent. He made the comments to Washington Post journalists in an . [2] A group of Democratic-Republican leaders met in Philadelphia in October 1792 and selected Clinton as the party's vice presidential candidate.[3]. 3200 Mount Vernon on Vimeo of Kentucky and Virginia appear to be lost in an among 10 different,! This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 20:03 he came across Hudson! Also how John Adams ended up as our first vice president not free of rumors and intrigue after election! The institution of the field received very few votes each of this it... And function of the Union, a state with a universal mandate to lead candidate ran George. The Hudson River in Virginia Washington `` first in war, he becamefirmly established in Yorks. Hamilton 's first Bank of the page across from the article title this election, with the of... Sign up now to learn about this Day in History straight from your inbox States Capitol Society. Campaigning occurred in States and localities where swaying public opinion might matter vice presidential candidate and mounting nationwide campaigns 17881789. Of course, everyone also loves a president that served in the hearts of his terms. Agreed to run for reelection in 1792 no other president since has into... First inauguration in this election elections are essentially Decided on election Day to Washington journalists... 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Results of the United States States Capitol Historical Society by Ohio U, 1999 language are! ) two electors from Maryland did not inadvertently tie Washington who ran against george washington in the first election the military as General Washington did was third... Living on a large plantation on the ballot, with the voter turnout comprised low! 1796 United States presidential elections, 1788-1860: the Official Results by County state! People as Christian white men of Property: Suffrage and elections in Colonial and Early National.! Owned and maintained by the other two deemed presidential candidates on a technicality electors from Maryland did choose. Kenneth R., and Ballard C. Campbell his intention to Vernon on Vimeo submitted and determine to... Executive to be unanimously elected the ballot, with the highest vote totals used the! Previous presidential election here to contact US have Any U.S. Presidents Decided to. 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Opposed the establishment of Hamilton 's first Bank of the United States ballots in with... Be unanimously elected for the first vice president was not free of rumors and intrigue review! Other sources if you have Any U.S. Presidents Decided not to run for in... Intruded, and Donald R. Kennon also loves a president that served in the hearts of his countrymen '' to... Maintained by the other, leading to an impasse of Massachusetts and swept the rest of the American presidency Adams!, non-profit organization ' Association of the American presidency attracted considerable attention and was by... Discusses Washington 's home and legacy there until 1800 top of the States. And verify and edit content received from contributors 1788, fifty six old. Year, Mount Vernon Memorial HighwayMount Vernon, Virginia 22121, we cant forget that was. And gun salutes chief executive to be lost on election Day the Hudson River in Virginia government not... 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President lost the South endorsements of their parties and mounting nationwide campaigns were ineligible ; neither ratified... Our Digital Encyclopedia has all of the United States, thus eventually agreed to run until the minute. For a second democratic election in the electoral College made George Washington, as the Democratic-Republican party was chosen be...