US Presidential Elections (1788-1856) Quiz

Answer: George Washington

George Washington was widely admired and helped set many of the standards for future presidents, including the tradition of serving only two terms. Franklin D. Roosevelt, however, broke with that tradition by serving more than two terms.

Answer: John Adams

John Adams defeated Thomas Jefferson, making Jefferson the vice president under the electoral system in place before 1804. Adams is often underestimated as a Founding Father, but his presidency is generally considered the low point of his career.

Answer: Aaron Burr

Jefferson and Burr tied in the Electoral College with 73 electoral votes each, causing the House of Representatives to decide the election. The House chose Jefferson, making Burr vice president. This led to the adoption of the 12th Amendment in 1804.

Answer: He shot and killed Alexander Hamilton

During a duel in 1804, Aaron Burr shot and mortally wounded Alexander Hamilton, who died the following day. This contributed to Jefferson's decision not to keep Burr on the ticket. Burr did go on trial for treason a few years later, but he was never convicted.

Answer: False

Monroe did run unopposed and was reelected; however, he did not receive 100% of the electoral votes. A faithless elector cast his vote for John Quincy Adams because he believed that George Washington should remain the only president elected unanimously.

Answer: Adams didn't have the majority of electoral votes

When no candidate received a majority of the electoral votes, the House of Representatives had to decide the election between John Quincy Adams, Andrew Jackson, and William Crawford. Since Henry Clay, the Speaker of the House, had received the fourth-highest number of electoral votes, he was eliminated from consideration. Clay supported Adams, who won the election, which angered Adams's main opponent, Jackson, who claimed a "corrupt bargain" had been made.

Answer: Jackson's wife Rachel died

Weeks after the election, Jackson's wife, Rachel, died, and Jackson blamed Adams and his allies for her death. Rachel was the target of hateful verbal attacks by her husband's opponents after it was discovered that she and Andrew had married while she was still legally married to someone else.

Answer: He was born in a log cabin and drank hard cider

Harrison's campaign was built around the image that he was born in a log cabin and drank hard cider, making him appear to be an everyday man and more appealing to voters. Harrison was actually born into a wealthy family, and his father, Benjamin Harrison V, signed the Declaration of Independence.

Answer: Martin Van Buren

Van Buren, president from 1837 to 1841, ran for a second term as the candidate of the new Free Soil Party. He was unable to win, coming in third behind Zachary Taylor of the Whig Party and Lewis Cass of the Democratic Party.

Answer: Millard Fillmore

Fillmore, president from 1850 to 1853 following the death of Zachary Taylor, ran for a second term as the candidate of the American Party, also known as the "Know Nothing" Party. He was unable to win, coming in third behind James Buchanan of the Democratic Party and John C. Fremont of the new Republican Party.