Of those 12, the man with the highest number of votes would gain the top job, and the runner-up would take the role of vice president. All Rights Reserved. Voting was hampered by poor communications and infrastructure and the labor demands imposed by farming. This was the only U.S. presidential election that spanned two calendar years without a contingent election and the first national presidential election in American history. In addition, New York was unable to participate in the election, as the legislature had not passed a bill in time to appoint its eight electors. After a private meeting at Mount Vernon, Madison prepared a drastically more concise address whichleft more open to Congress's discretion. Free black men could vote in four Northern states, and women could vote in New Jersey until 1776. As expected, Washington received the maximum of 132 electoral votes and was therefore reelected as president. Open 365 days a year, Mount Vernon is located just 15 miles south of Washington DC. Presidential Greatness. ", D. Jason BerggrenGeorgia Southwestern State University. [2] Adams easily secured re-election. He presided over the Constitutional Convention and encouraged some unsure about the new Constitution to, There Were 12 Candidates on the Final Ballot, John Adams Was a Worthy and Popular Opponent, He was arguably more influential on the world stage than Washington, having played an important role in the Continental Congress and the, Other Well-Known Figures Didnt Do As Well, From there, the rest of the field received very few votes each. One month after President Washingtonleft Mount Vernon, Martha Washington set out on her own triumphant trip to the seat of the new government in New York. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Following the ratification of the Constitution by the necessary nine states in July of 1788, Congress set January 7 of the following year as the date by which states were required to choose electors. Defenders of Washingtons policies would become the Federalist Party. 2023 Mount Vernon Ladies Association. 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." Florida Gov. "Voting and American Democracy." We don't accept government funding and rely upon private contributions to help preserve George Washington's home and legacy. Please select which sections you would like to print: Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. In this election, George Washington was elected for the first of his two terms as President of the United States, and John Adams became . The Globetrotters were the creation of Abe Saperstein of Chicago, who took over coaching duties for a team of African American players read more, The confessed Colorado cannibal Alferd Packer is released from prison on parole after serving 18 years. The enormously popular Washington was distinguished as the former Commander of the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. Commenting on his re-election, Washington proclaimed, "I am again called upon by the voice of my country to execute the functions of its chief magistrate. On April 14, Washington received official confirmation from Congress that he had been elected the first President of the United States. Washington Papers. Bibliography:Boller, Paul, Jr. Presidential Campaigns. New York: Oxford University Press, 1996. Cooper, William J., Jr. Liberty and Slavery: Southern Politics to 1860. (g) The identity of this candidate comes from The Documentary History of the First Federal Elections (Gordon DenBoer (ed. Sign up now to learn about This Day in History straight from your inbox. *Electors were chosen by legislatures in many states, not by popular vote. Source: .mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,.mw-parser-output .citation .cs1-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:#d33}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#3a3;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-format{font-size:95%}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}Dubin, Michael J. Citizens of the new nation showed up in droves. Editor's . All 69 electors cast one vote for Washington, making his election unanimous. Required fields are marked *. Adams won his home state of Massachusetts and swept the rest of New England, as well as most of the mid-Atlantic states. Westport, CT: Greenwood, 1982. The Constitution created the offices of President and Vice President, fully separating these offices from Congress. The results of the 1789 U.S. presidential election are provided in the table. (2002). 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. Limited, primitive political campaigning occurred in states and localities where swaying public opinion might matter. Washington was re-elected unanimously, receiving one vote from each of the 132 participating electors. Many were convinced by his role in politics up to that point. Voter turnout comprised a low single-digit percentage of the adult population. Marianne Williamson, a progressive Democrat who ran for president in 2020, confirmed that she plans to run for president in 2024, becoming the first Democrat to publicly confirm her intent enter . Voters cast ballots to choose state electors; only white men who owned property were allowed to vote. North Carolina and Rhode Island were unable to participate because they had not yet ratified the Constitution. Adams, meanwhile, was backed by the Federalist Party in his bid for another term. Craig R. Coenen. 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. As expected, George Washington won the . Branding themselves as Republicans, Jefferson and Madison promoted the candidacy of New York Gov. "A New Matrix for National Politics." Source (popular vote): A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 17871825[10]. The book now resides within The Fred W. Smith National Library for the Study of George Washington. 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! All of his notes in this volume appear alongside the text of the Constitution, where he drew neat brackets to highlight passages of particular interest. The candidates were Chief Justice John Jay, a Hamiltonian, and incumbent George Clinton, the party's vice presidential nominee. George Washington. Yet, his dreams of a tranquil retirement were at odds with his peers andthe American people at large. Mount Vernon is owned and maintained by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union, a private, non-profit organization. Source: United States Office of the Federal Register. Learn more about George Washington's annotated copy of The Acts of Congress - one of the prized holdings in our Library collection. 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. Indeed, the incumbent president enjoyed bipartisan support and received one vote from every elector. ), University of Wisconsin Press, 1984, p.441). The Federalists wanted Adams to remain vice president, while the Democratic-Republicans favored George Clinton. 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. In addition to defining the actual powers of the office, Washington also needed to show the new nation how the leader of a democracy should behave socially. Suffering from diminished physical abilities, Pres. Washington set the precedents for how these roles would interact with the presidency, establishing the cabinet as the chief executive's private, trusted advisors. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Washingtons position as a commander in the Revolutionary War against Great Britain placed him in high esteem. For example, in Maryland, a state with a statewide popular vote, unofficial parties campaigned locally, advertising. Michaelsen, William B. Further Resources About: Who Ran Against George Washington? Congress sets January 7, 1789 as the date by which states are required to choose electors for the country's first-ever presidential election. On February 13, 1793, a joint session of Congress counted the Electoral College votes from the second presidential election and George Washington was unanimously elected, again. Washington ascended to the presidency with practical experience, having served as the commander-in-chief of the Continental Army during the American Revolution and president of the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. The vote totals of Virginia appear to be incomplete. Six of the fifteen states chose electors by any form of popular vote. By 1792, a party division had emerged between Federalists led by Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, who desired a stronger federal government with a leading role in the economy, and the Democratic-Republicans led by Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson and Representative James Madison of Virginia, who favored states' rights and opposed Hamilton's economic program. ISBN9780786410170. He made the comments to Washington Post journalists in an . But it's not the first time . Even before the Constitution was ratified, rumors spread declaring George Washington would likely elected first President of the United States (much to the dismay of Washington himself). Other candidates receiving multiple electoral votes were John Jay (9), Robert Harrison (6), John Rutledge (6), John Hancock (4), and George Clinton (3). [2] A group of Democratic-Republican leaders met in Philadelphia in October 1792 and selected Clinton as the party's vice presidential candidate.[3]. Washington spent eight days traveling from Virginia to New York for the inauguration. Of the 72 electors, all but three cast their ballots (electors voted for two candidates). With a hand on the Bible, a "sacred volume" borrowed from a local Masonic lodge and subsequently known as the "George Washington Inaugural Bible," he said, "I, George Washington, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my Ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States." Corrections? The other candidates receiving electoral votes were George Clinton who received fifty votes, Thomas Jefferson won four votes, and Aaron Burr won one 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. ", D. Jason BerggrenGeorgia Southwestern State University. In New York, the race for governor was fought along these lines. 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.". (a) New York's legislature did not choose electors on time. George Clinton was the only anti-Federalist candidate to receive votes (3). Every U.S. Presidential Election Since 1789. This is largely ceremonial: Because electors nearly always vote with their party, presidential elections are essentially decided on Election Day. The elections of 1792 were the first ones in the United States to be contested on anything resembling a partisan basis. With 77 electoral votes, John Adams was re-elected, positioning him well enough to become Washington's presidential heir apparent. Though no organized political parties yet existed, political opinion loosely divided between those who had more stridently and enthusiastically endorsed ratification of the Constitution, called Federalists or Cosmopolitans, and Anti-Federalists or Localists who had only more reluctantly, skeptically, or conditionally supported, or who had outright opposed ratification. On Feb. 4, 1789, electors convened in 10 states to cast their ballots. Strange, Fun and Weird Facts about US Presidents. In order to win the presidency, a candidate needs a majority of 270 electoral votes out of a possible 538. People were so concerned about a President who would try to take too much power, that anyone who tried to obtain the job would not be considered. 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 retired general said that he had "no wish which aspires beyond the humble and happy lot of living and dying a private citizen" at his Mount Vernon farm. There were 12 names on the ballot which is a lot by current standards where we are used to our two-party system and maybe some independents. One of the ragged legions of gold and silver prospectors who combed the Rocky Mountains searching for fortune in the 1860s,AlferdPacker also supplemented his meager income read more, On January 7, 1891, Zora Neale Hurston, novelist and folklorist, is born inNotasulga, Alabama. Thomas Jefferson predicted that a popular Northern leader such as Governor John Hancock of Massachusetts or John Adams, a former minister to Great Britain who had represented Massachusetts in Congress, would be elected vice president. 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. (b) Pre-Twelfth Amendment electoral vote rules obscure the intentions of the voters(c) Those states that did choose electors by popular vote had widely varying restrictions on suffrage via property requirements. (Two electors from Maryland and two from Virginia neglected to vote; the New York State Legislature was deadlocked and no electors were appointed from that state.) Have Any U.S. Presidents Decided Not to Run For a Second Term? Federalist. All Rights Reserved. John Kerry was the democratic nominee for president in 2004 and ran against George Bush. The American People as Christian White Men of Property:Suffrage and Elections in Colonial and Early National America. This page was last edited on 25 February 2023, at 20:03. In 1792, the second presidential election, George Washington was unanimously re-elected president of the United States. In 1792, presidential elections were still conducted according to the original method established under the U.S. Constitution. (The previous two were the presidential elections of 1789 and 1792, in which George Washington ran without serious opposition.) It was held from Monday, December 15, 1788, to Saturday, January 10, 1789, under the new Constitution ratified that same year. 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. Washington appeared on all 69 ballots, while nearly half the voters cast their second vote for John Adams, who was duly elected vice president. "Alexander Hamilton". Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty. Mount Vernon is owned and maintained by the Mount Vernon Ladies' Association of the Union, a private, non-profit organization. In an August 1788 letter, U.S. Minister to France Thomas Jefferson wrote that he considered John Adams and John Hancock, both from Massachusetts, to be the top contenders. [7], Source (Popular Vote): A New Nation Votes: American Election Returns 1787-1825[8]. Washington was clad in a brown suit of American manufacture, but he wore white stockings and a sword after the fashion of European courts. When Washington, in his Farewell Address, published in September 1796, announced his intention to . The remainder of the votes were divided among 10 other candidates. First president who ran for election and won? Mount Vernon Ladies Association. Retrieved October 28, 2022. Although James Degnan went on the radio to plead for his daughters safety, the kidnapper never made any contact or read more, Just six days after the fall of the Fulgencio Batista dictatorship in Cuba, U.S. officials recognize the new provisional government of the island nation. Need help with homework? The Democratic-Republican Party, which had organized in opposition to the policies of Secretary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton, supported Clinton for the position of vice president. On April 30, 1789, George Washington was inaugurated as the first president. Carrying large and small states, northern and southern states, Washington received 132 electoral votes, one vote from each participant in the Electoral College. 3200 Mount Vernon Memorial HighwayMount Vernon, Virginia 22121. The Washington Library is open to all researchers and scholars, by appointment only. (c) Those states that did choose electors by popular vote had widely varying restrictions on suffrage via property requirements. However, Clinton received only three electoral votes. Updates? Thus, the contest for the Vice-Presidency was open. 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. Retrieved July 30, 2005. Historian Edward J. Larsen discusses Washington's first inauguration in this video from Mount Vernon on Vimeo. Ten states cast electoral votes: Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Virginia. About: who ran against George Bush, source ( popular vote on April 14 Washington! 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