Election by the Numbers

Examining the Election of 1800, 2000 and 2004

Curricular Unit Created by: Rick Ramthun

 

 

Theme: In 1800 American democracy faced her first real test when Republican Thomas Jefferson defeated Federalist President John Adams. The election of 1800 is often referred to as the “Revolution of 1800”, as one political party transferred presidential power to the opposition.  Would America follow in the historical footsteps of other nations where bloodshed soon followed a change in leadership? Or could America stick to her democratic and constitutional ideals? Two hundred years later, America would endure yet another controversial presidential election. Once again, many were asking, “Could America stick to her democratic and constitutional ideals?

Unit Goal: Students will make the historical connection between the American presidential elections of 1800 and 2000. In doing so, they will understand how the difference between winning the popular vote and winning the Electoral College.

Unit Objectives:

Students will be able to…

1.      Determine the number of Electoral College votes in a given state.

2.      Calculate the number of Electoral College votes necessary to win a Presidential election.

3.      Define census.

4.      Locate within the US Constitution the requirements for performing a census.

5.      Explain why a candidate might not campaign in a rich Electoral College state such as California, but may make many visits to a small state such as Iowa.

 

Students will study the Election of 1800 in a one-two week span in mid-to-late October. Although this may be early in the year to discuss this topic, the daily reinforcement of political news leading up to the Presidential election in early November will make it worth while to adjust the curriculum for this topic. The material will be integrated into various aspects of the day’s lessons with special attention within math class. Math class will incorporate lessons in proportionality as students create excel graphs using census data and Electoral College vote results. The necessary amount of time needed per lesson is dependent upon available resources and prior knowledge.

Grade Level:   Can be adapted for grades 7-12.

 

Lesson One

Objective: Students will understand that a person is elected by the Electoral College and not by popular vote.

1. Initiate a discussion with the students on the how a President is elected into office.  Develop a K-W-L chart to discover what they already know. (10 minutes)
2. Have the students take their K-W-L to the computer lab to research how a President is elected. (20 minutes)
3. Discuss with the class their new found research.

 

  Lesson Two  

1.      Show the PowerPoint program: Electoral College. Photocopy the following slides to handout to students as you view the PowerPoint using an overhead projector.

 

 

  

2.      Using a copy of the United States Constitution have students find Article I Section II and Article II Section I.

3.      Using data from the Federal Election Commission web site (http://www.fec.gov/pubrec/fe2000/elecpop.htm), challenge students to create interesting questions regarding the difference between popular votes and Electoral College Votes.

Lesson Three

1.      Ask students to define what a political party is and when they believed they began in the United States.

2.      Read the handout CORE CONTENT ON THE ELECTION OF 1800 in class with students. Have students create questions based upon reading (stump the teacher…stump the class game).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

http://www.ericdigests.org/2000-2/1800.htm 

William A. Nixon

CORE CONTENT ON THE ELECTION OF 1800.

The founding generation earnestly hoped that political parties would not arise in the United States. Parties were feared as dangerous institutions that represented a corrupting self-interest. But in the end, two parties, the Federalists and Republicans, emerged almost in spite of themselves. Though unanticipated by the Constitution, the United States became the first nation to establish truly popular parties.

Parties began to form during Washington's first presidential term. The Federalists coalesced in support of Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton's economic programs, and the Republicans rallied in opposition under James Madison and Thomas Jefferson.

Political parties continued to develop in the early 1790s, but as long as Washington remained in office a true party system could not emerge. While Washington sided with the Federalists, he was an enormously popular leader who appeared to be above the dirty business of partisan politics, and no one dared to challenge him at the ballot.

All that changed when Washington announced his retirement in 1796. The still primitive national parties now offered competing candidates. Republicans stood united behind a reluctant Jefferson, while the more factious Federalists offered two candidates, Vice President John Adams and Thomas Pinckney. In a close election, Adams carried the vote, but enough Federalist electors refused to vote for Pinckney that Jefferson received the second highest vote count, making him the Vice President under the existing terms of the Constitution.

During the presidency of John Adams, parties became more important than ever. Foreign affairs led to a series of crises that divided Americans, culminating in the undeclared naval war with France. As war fever gripped the young Republic in 1798, the Federalists, claiming national security, pounced on their domestic opposition by passing the notorious Alien and Sedition Acts. These measures, which among other things prohibited criticism of the government by the press, proved to be one of the great blunders in American political history. The people had rallied behind the administration against France, but now the Republicans were able to cast the Federalists as would-be tyrants quashing civil liberties. Meanwhile, Jefferson and Madison influenced Kentucky and Virginia to pass resolutions denouncing the Acts and asserting the right of the states to oppose or nullify unconstitutional laws of the federal government.

As the election of 1800 approached, the nation was in crisis. Jefferson was again the Republican standard bearer. The Federalists were again divided, with Hamilton leading an unsuccessful attempt to dump John Adams. The election was held over the course of May to December 1800, and involved the citizenry only indirectly. In most states, the legislature chose the electors, and much behind-the-scenes wrangling took place.

The Republicans emerged victorious, but then the unexpected happened. Under the Constitution at that time, each elector was to vote for two candidates without specifying who was to be president or vice president. By mistake Jefferson received the same number of votes as his running mate Aaron Burr, deadlocking the electoral college. The election went to the House of Representatives, where each state had one vote. Burr refused to step aside, and the election was deadlocked for almost a week. By the 36th ballot Jefferson was elected. In 1804 the Twelfth Amendment corrected this problem by requiring electors to vote separately for president and vice president.

Thomas Jefferson became the third president in a peaceful transfer of power. In his inaugural address of March 4, 1801, he made a gesture of conciliation to his defeated rivals that set the tone for future party politics in America. The campaign had been bitter, he noted, but now the country must unite. Though the parties disagreed about much, what they shared was more important.

Lesson Four:

1.      Start class with a discussion on the presidential candidates in the 2004 election. Attempt to focus in on differing issues between the parties and the candidates.  Use the whiteboard/chalkboard to create a list as students examine newspapers, magazines, and web sites to gather information.

2.      Alternative task: Have students support one candidate and debate other students on their candidate’s merits.

3.      Hold a mock election.

Lesson Five:

1. Place the following quote upon the board:

“But every difference of opinion is not a difference of principle. We have called by different names brethren of the same principle. We are all republicans, we are all federalists.”

Thomas Jefferson: 1st Inaugural, 1801

2. Lead a class discussion on the meaning of this quote. Can two political parties co-exist without candidates launching personal attacks?

3. Ask students where the presidential candidates have spent most of their time campaigning. Then ask the following: “Explain why a candidate might not campaign in a rich Electoral College state such as California, but may make many visits to a small state such as Iowa.”

4. Last minute review.

5. Have students perform unit objectives as a quiz.