1796
The 1796 U.S. presidential election was won by John Adams (Federalist) with 71 of 138 electoral votes, defeating Thomas Jefferson (Democratic-Republican). Electoral vote margin: 3 EV; turnout 20.1%. The cycle falls in the First Party System era of American electoral history.
John Adams and the 1796 map
The first contested presidential election saw Federalist John Adams narrowly defeat Democratic-Republican Thomas Jefferson. Under the original Constitutional rules, Jefferson's second-place finish made him Vice President — creating an unprecedented situation with a president and vice president from opposing parties. The election reflected the emerging two-party system and tensions over foreign policy, particularly toward France and Britain.
Foreign policy toward revolutionary France and Britain; Federalism vs. states' rights
First contested election; resulted in president and VP from opposing parties
States · 16 reporting
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