The 1824 presidential election in the United States was marked by controversy and claims of a "corrupt bargain." The election saw four candidates: John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, William H. Crawford, and Henry Clay. Andrew Jackson won the popular vote and initially appeared to have secured a plurality of the electoral votes. However, he did not achieve the necessary majority needed to win outright.
The decision was sent to the House of Representatives, as per the provisions of the Twelfth Amendment, which mandated that if no candidate received a majority of the electoral votes, the House would choose the president from the top three candidates. In this case, the top three were Jackson, Adams, and Crawford (Clay, having come in fourth, was eliminated).
In the House, John Quincy Adams was elected president, largely with the support of Henry Clay, who was then named Secretary of State. This led to accusations of a "corrupt bargain," as many of Jackson's supporters believed that Clay had used his influence in the House to secure the presidency for Adams in exchange for a cabinet position. Jackson's supporters felt cheated, believing that the will of the people had been circumvented, particularly since Jackson had received the most electoral votes and was the most popular candidate.
This perception of fraud and manipulation contributed to a significant shift in American politics, galvanizing Jackson's supporters and paving the way for his successful presidential campaign in 1828, where he emphasized a populist approach and rallied against the political elites. The events surrounding the 1824 election thus had a lasting impact on American political culture.
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