Elections and Amendments

a period that saw the development of a two-party system akin to our modern system, presidential electioneering bearing a closer resemblance to modern political campaigning, and the strengthening of the power of the executive branch. After no candidate received a majority of electoral votes in the 1824 election, John Quincy Adams was elected president by the House of Representatives

• 1960

• 1968

• 1824

• 2000

demonstrated the divisions within the United States just before the Civil War. The election was unusual because four strong candidates competed for the presidency. Lincoln, John Breckinridge, John Bell, and Stephen Douglas.

• 1912

• 1860

• 1876

• 1968

Jefferson narrowly defeated the Federalist John Adams in the election of 1800; his victory demonstrated that power could be transferred peacefully between parties under the Constitution.

• Election of 1824

• Election of 1800

• Election of 1876

• Election of 1912

demonstrated a sharp division in society between urban and rural interests. William Jennings Bryan (Democrat) was able to form a coalition that answered the call of progressive groups and rural interests including the indebted farmers and those arguing against the gold standard.

• 1896

• 1860

• 1912

• 1968

Was the only presidential election in which a third-party candidate finished second. It was the first time in 20 years that a Democrat won the White House. Woodrow Wilson won against Taft and Roosevelt.

• 1876

• 1912

• 2000

• 1980

Was one of the closest in American history. John F. Kennedy won the popular vote by a slim margin of approximately 100,000 votes. Richard Nixon won more individual states than Kennedy, but it was Kennedy who prevailed by winning key states with many electoral votes.

• 1960

• 1968

• 1980

• 1992

It was the first time that most African Americans had voted Democratic rather than Republican. Also, Labor Unions gave united support to a presidential candidate. Democratic President Franklin D. Roosevelt won re-election, defeating Republican Governor Alf Landon of Kansas.

• 2000

• 1992

• 1936

• 1896

Marked an end of the Federal Government's commitment to Reconstruction reforms. The radical Republicans' goals for Reconstruction included all of the following except: Stopping Southern states from reentering the Union. Rutherford B. Hayes (Republican) won.

• 1968

• 1876

• 1980

• 1824

Republican candidate Richard Nixon appealed to a nation tired of violence and unrest. Nixon vowed he would end the Vietnam War and win peace. Democratic nominee, Hubert Humphrey, Johnson's vice president, seemed a continuation of the old politics. In the end, Richard Nixon won.

• 1980

• 1992

• 2000

• 1968

It revealed that conservatives had come to dominate the Republican party. Reagan won the election by a landslide, taking 489 votes in the Electoral College and 50.8% of the popular vote with a margin of 9.7%.

• 1860

• 1980

• 1992

• 2000