Nineteenth-Century American Politicians Quiz

Answer: Aaron Burr

Aaron Burr was the Demo-Rep Vice Presidential candidate. The original setup of the Electoral College was that each elector had two votes, and the first-place candidate became president, and the second-place candidate became vice-president. This worked well until the advent of political parties, which resulted in the two candidates from each party recieving the same number of votes. Aaron Burr refused to concede after a tie in the Electoral College, angering Thomas Jefferson. Knowing that he would not be renominated in 1804, he began the escapades that would ruin his political career, such as killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel.

Answer: John Quincy Adams

Daniel Webster, John Calhoun, and Henry Clay were the "Immortal Trio," who entered politics during the War of 1812, and dominated the political scene until their deaths, all in 1850, shortly after Henry Clay's pivotal role in the Compromise of 1850.

Answer: John Calhoun

Nullification was the idea that individual states could choose to override federal laws. During the presidency of Andrew Jackson, South Carolina tried to nullify a federal law, resulting in a conflict between John Calhoun, who believed that it was the state's right to nullidy a federal law, and Andrew Jackson, who rightly feared that such moves would split the union.

Answer: Andrew Jackson

From approximately 1824 to 1840, the American political party setup was based on Andrew Jackson. The friends of Andrew Jackson joined the Democratic Party, and the enemies of Jackson joined the National Republican/Whig Party.

Answer: John Tyler

James Polk pushed the issue, and used the issue to win the election of 1844. However, on March 3, 1845, a day before leaving office, John Tyler signed the Annexation of Texas, taking the honor away from Polk.

Answer: James Blaine

Samuel Burchard accused the Democratic Party of being the party of "rum, Romanism, and rebellion," angering Catholics, who then voted for Grover Cleveland. Cleveland lost the election of 1888 partially as a result of a statement by a British diplomat who said, "A vote for Cleveland is a vote for England," angering Irish, who disliked England.

Answer: Sherman

Sherman refused to run for president after the Civil War. Grant, however, did run, and was elected to two terms.

Answer: John Frémont

For only being two years old at the time of the election of 1856, the Republican party did well in the election, setting the stage for the election of 1860, and the Civil War. Democrat Stephen Douglas backed the Kansas-Nebraska Act, which was hated by many northerners, and was key in the formation of the Republican party.

Answer: The Harrisons

Benjamin Harrison was the grandson of William Henry Harrison. The Adamses were a father-son pair, the Roosevelts were distant cousins (that this is an 1800s quiz should have been a hint), and the Johnsons were unrelated.

Answer: Mary E. Lease

The Populist movement of the 1890s was a liberal movement which tried to unite farmers in order to gain benefits for farmers, who were suffering from economic hardship as a result of collapsing prices.