The election of 1800 was a highly contested and contentious contest between the incumbent president, John Adams, a Federalist, and his challenger, Thomas Jefferson, a Democratic-Republican. The election resulted in a tie in the Electoral College between Jefferson and his running mate, Aaron Burr, who both received 73 votes.
Because neither candidate secured a majority in the Electoral College, the election was decided by the House of Representatives, as stipulated by the 12th Amendment, which was passed later but was based on the original procedures. The House was responsible for choosing the president from the top three candidates. At that time, there were no mechanisms in place to break a tie in the Electoral College, leading to this unique situation.
The process in the House was marked by intense political maneuvering and even some attempts at alliances. Federalists, despite weakening electoral support, still held a majority in the House. However, they were divided on whether to support Burr or to allow Jefferson to take the presidency, given that they viewed Burr as a more radical figure.
Ultimately, after several votes and significant pressure from influential figures (notably Alexander Hamilton, who preferred Jefferson over Burr), Jefferson was elected as the third president of the United States on February 17, 1801, after a total of 36 ballots.
This election is often referred to as the "Revolution of 1800" because it represented a significant shift in political power from the Federalists to the Democratic-Republicans and underscored the importance of a peaceful transfer of power in the United States.
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