Election of 1824

Date: 1824

• There were four main candidates: John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, William H. Crawford, and Andrew Jackson. All four were "Democratic-Republicans," but this was now a loose term. Jackson won the popular vote, but failed to win the majority, so the election went to the House.
• Clay was eliminated (he was Speaker of the House), and Crawford fell ill, so it was Jackson vs. Quincy Adams. Influential Clay had the power to the throw the election to the candidate of his choice, and he pretty much hated Jackson. He agreed with Adams' views because they were both nationalists and advocates of the American System.
• It was actually 1825 that the House voted, J. Q. Adams won, and Henry clay was appointed Secretary of State.
• This election is considered the "Corrupt Bargain" because Jacksonians said Adams bribed Clay with the position, if Clay got him elected. While this was probably untrue (and while Jackson indulged in the Spoils System himself), Adams won much unpopularity.
• Jackson's campaign for the election of 1828 started the day Adams was sworn in. Adams did nothing during his presidency, and wasn't liked because of the whole "Corrupt Bargain" deal, so Jackson gained a ton of followers and soon, Jacksonian democracy would rise in America.