The Handy American History Answer Book. David L. Hudson

      One of the most famous duels in American history was between Aaron Burr and Alexander Hamilton. Hamilton died and Burr, though never found guilty of murder, saw his political career end as a result.

      What happened to Aaron Burr?

      Aaron Burr served as Thomas Jefferson’s first vice president from 1801–1805. On July 11, 1804, he killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel in Weehawken, New Jersey. When Burr learned that he would not be Jefferson’s vice president for Jefferson’s second term, Burr decided to run for the governorship of New York. Hamilton vigorously opposed Burr, whom he had also opposed in the presidential election of 1800. At the duel, Hamilton fired first, but missed. Some historians have questioned whether Hamilton actually intended to hit Burr. Whatever the case, Burr hit Hamilton in the abdomen with his shot.

      Burr faced indictments in both New Jersey and New York but was never brought to trial. He moved out west, seeking to acquire land in present-day Texas. Burr was suspected of plotting to form an independent nation in the southwest part of the country. Jefferson had his former vice president arrested and charged with treason in 1807. He faced trial in Richmond, Virginia, but was acquitted of all charges. Burr left the country, traveling to England and then France. He returned to the United States and practiced law in New York until his death in 1836.

      What famous land expedition did Jefferson order?

      Jefferson ordered Meriwether Lewis and William Clark to explore the western part of North America. This famous trip became known as the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Like Jefferson, Meriwether Lewis was born in Albemarle County in Virginia and served as Jefferson’s trusted White House secretary. When Jefferson discussed the idea of a western expedition, Lewis agreed to take the lead in the matter. Lewis asked Clark, a man he met while defending federal interests during the Whiskey Rebellion, to accompany him on the trip.

      What was the Monroe Doctrine?

      The Monroe Doctrine was a foreign policy statement announced by President James Monroe (1758–1831; fifth president, 1817–1825) during his seventh annual address to Congress delivered in December 1823. The doctrine established that the United States would not interfere with developments on the European continent but that the United States would oppose vigorously any attempt by European countries with suspicion and “as dangerous to our peace and safety.” Historians have lauded the doctrine as one of the most significant statements in the history of American foreign policy.

       What was the Panic of 1819?

      The Panic of 1819 was a major financial crisis marked by mortgage foreclosures, inflation, and banks recalling loans. The federal government and Monroe responded with the Land Act of 1820, which helped alleviate some of the financial pressure.

      What was the Era of Good Feelings?

      The Era of Good Feelings was a period from about 1816 to 1825, during which there was relative domestic and political calm. The term is often used to describe the time period of much of the Monroe presidency. Benjamin Russell, a journalist with the Boston newspaper the Columbian Centinel, coined the term after President Monroe visited the New England area to quell any sectional differences.

      Who were the candidates in the presidential election of 1824?

      The candidates included John Quincy Adams (1767–1848) from Massachusetts; Andrew Jackson (1767–1845) from Tennessee; William H. Crawford from Georgia; and Henry Clay from Kentucky. Adams and Crawford had both served in President Monroe’s Cabinet—Adams as secretary of state and Crawford as secretary of the treasury. Jackson was a U.S. senator and former war hero, while Clay was Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives.

      Who won the popular vote in the presidential election of 1824?

      Jackson captured the popular vote with more than 150,000 votes, while Adams captured just over 100,000. Jackson also won more electoral votes (ninety-nine) than Adams (eighty-four). However, Jackson failed to capture the required majority of 131 electoral votes—Crawford tallied forty-one electoral votes and Clay thirty-seven. When no candidate received a majority of the electoral votes, the decision fell to the House of Representatives. The representatives from each state voted for a candidate. Adams ended up capturing thirteen states (to Jackson’s seven and Crawford’s four). Thus, Adams became president as he captured more than a majority of the states (thirteen out of twenty-four) to win the electoral vote and the presidency.

      Who was the first Speaker of the House to have significant prominence and power in the government?

      Henry Clay (1777–1852) was the Speaker of the House who acquired a great deal of power in American politics. Clay served as Speaker of the House three different times: 1811–1814, 1815–1820, and 1823–1825. He also served as a U.S. senator and U.S. secretary of state in his long and illustrious political career. He is considered one of the greatest and most influential members in the history of Congress.

      Clay used his considerable powers as Speaker to pass legislation he supported and thwart legislation he opposed. He also decided the presidential election of 1824, when Clay threw his support behind John Quincy Adams instead of Andrew Jackson, who actually received more electoral votes. Clay then served as Adams’s secretary of state, causing Jackson’s supporters to term this the “Corrupt Bargain.”

      What was the “Corrupt Bargain”?

      The “Corrupt Bargain” referred to a claim asserted by supporters of Andrew Jackson that John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay engaged in a corrupt bargain to obtain votes for Adams. They maintained that Clay encouraged others in the House to vote for Adams because Adams agreed to name Clay as his secretary of state if he won the presidency. While Clay did encourage members of the House to vote for Adams rather than Jackson—who later became Adams’s secretary of state—the two contended that there never was any corrupt bargain. Clay maintained that he thought Adams would be better equipped to handle the presidency than Jackson.

      What happened in Adams’s reelection attempt?

      Adams could never overcome the allegations that he did not deserve to win the election of 1824, as Jackson’s supporters fanned the flames of public discontent. Furthermore, many members of Congress, allied with Jackson, continually thwarted Adams’s proposals. In 1828, Jackson supporters effectively convinced enough voters that he deserved the election four years earlier, winning 178 electoral votes to only eighty-three for Adams.

      What was unusual about Jackson’s inauguration celebration?

      Jackson’s inauguration in March 1829 was attended by masses of people. A virtual mob flocked to the White House to shake hands with Jackson, who was considered a president for the people, rather than an East Coast elitist. By some accounts, Jackson was nearly trampled by the rush of people and had to retreat from the White House grounds.