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Quiz about The Strange Presidential Election of 1848

The Strange Presidential Election of 1848 Quiz

1848 gave the United States perhaps the strangest of all Presidential races.

A multiple-choice quiz by GoodVibe. Estimated time: 4 mins.

Author
GoodVibe

Time
4 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
247,879

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Tough

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
404

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Besides the Whigs and the Democrats, what "Third Party" fielded a candidate in 1848? Hint

Greenback

Silver

Know-Nothing

Free Soil

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Question 2 of 10

2. How many electoral votes did Zachary Taylor get? Hint

153

163

173

183

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Question 3 of 10

3. What percentage did Martin van Buren receive? Hint

8.1%

11.1%

10.1%

9.1%

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Question 4 of 10

4. Where was the 1848 Democratic Party convention? Hint

Philadelphia

New York

Boston

Baltimore

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Question 5 of 10

5. What was the home state of Lewis Cass? Hint

Illinois

Ohio

West Virginia

Michigan

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Question 6 of 10

6. What state had the unusual distinction of having its electors chosen by the state legislature rather than by popular vote? Hint

North Carolina

South Carolina

Georgia

Florida

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Question 7 of 10

7. What was the vote differential between Taylor and Cass? Hint

121,000

149,000

138,000

155,000

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Question 8 of 10

8. What day was set for the inauguration of Taylor? Hint

March 3

March 4

March 5

March 6

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Question 9 of 10

9. Taylor refused to take the Presidential Oath on a Sunday because of his religion. What denomination was he? Hint

Quaker

Methodist

Baptist

Episcopalian

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Question 10 of 10

10. Was Taylor's runningmate ever elected President?

Yes

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Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Besides the Whigs and the Democrats, what "Third Party" fielded a candidate in 1848?

Answer: Free Soil

Zachary Taylor was the Whig candidate, Lewis Cass was the Democrat and Martin van Buren ran as a member of the Free Soil Party.

2. How many electoral votes did Zachary Taylor get?

Answer: 163

Taylor won 163 of the 290 electoral votes, capturing much of the Northeast, Florida, and small parts of the South.

3. What percentage did Martin van Buren receive?

Answer: 10.1%

Van Buren, President from 1837 to 1841 as a Democrat, earned 291,000 votes.

4. Where was the 1848 Democratic Party convention?

Answer: Baltimore

The Free Soil Party was formed in protest to the Democrat Party's stance on slavery.

5. What was the home state of Lewis Cass?

Answer: Michigan

Cass was a governor (for Michigan Territory, 1813-1831) and a U.S. Senator (Michigan 1845-1848) .

6. What state had the unusual distinction of having its electors chosen by the state legislature rather than by popular vote?

Answer: South Carolina

South Carolina voted for Cass. The 1848 election also marked the first time every state voted for the President and Vice President on the same day.

7. What was the vote differential between Taylor and Cass?

Answer: 138,000

Taylor earned 1,361,393, compared to 1,223,460 by Cass. Taylor won with 47.3% of the popular vote to Cass's 42.5%.

8. What day was set for the inauguration of Taylor?

Answer: March 4

March inaugurations were held until 1933, when they were changed in January, thanks to the 20th Amendment of the United States Constitution.

9. Taylor refused to take the Presidential Oath on a Sunday because of his religion. What denomination was he?

Answer: Episcopalian

Since James Polk's term had expired and the country needed leadership for 24 hours, President Pro Tempore David Rice Atchison took over for that day. Atchison said he slept most of that Sunday after finishing Senate work. Some consider Atchison "President for a Day," despite the fact he never officially took the Oath of Office.

10. Was Taylor's runningmate ever elected President?

Answer: No

Taylor died in 1850 of a death that has not been fully understood. Fillmore succeeded as President for the rest of Taylor's Term, 1850-1853. Fillmore was passed over by the Whigs in 1852 because of a party split over the Compromise of 1850 and ran as a member of the Know-Nothing Party in 1856.

Source: Author GoodVibe

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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