How do today's elections differ from the election of 1800?
I want to have a discussion about it so I actually understand and can put it in my own words. Thank you very much.
It was the first time there was active competition for the office. Washington and Adams had no real competition until 1800.
http://www.ushistory.org/us/20a.asp
Assuming you know how elections work today, you can make your own comparisons and find the contrasts.
I have to answer this question as if the person reading has no idea about current elections or what happened in the election in 1800.
Well, read about the 1800 election! Do you know about today's elections? The parties have primaries, conventions, nominate a candidate, etc. There were no formal political parties in 1800, no primary elections to choose delegates to conventions, no nominees. Adams and Jefferson had different ideas and each had his backers, but the party system didn't exist yet. 1800 was the very beginning of political parties in elections.
www.ushistory.org/gov/5a.asp
For information about today's process of electing a president:
http://www.bing.com/search?q=presidential%20election%20process&qs=n&form=QBRE&pq=presidential%20election%20process&sc=9-29&sp=-1&sk=&cvid=30E94601357247348A1E8CC196798A17
For the history of political parties, here's the live link:
http://www.ushistory.org/gov/5a.asp
This is what I answered:
Today's elections are better because we learned from past mistakes. For example the Twelfth Amendment was made after Thomas Jefferson was in a tie with his Vice Presidential candidate Aaron Burr. The Twelfth amendment made it so people had to vote for a vice president and a president separately. Now our way of electing and our government must work because the US has the longest used type of government.
thats a good answer @LadtPhantomhive I think its good you should put that!!!
To understand how today's elections differ from the election of 1800, it's important to look at various aspects such as the electoral process, political climate, voter demographics, and campaign strategies. Let's break it down:
1. Electoral process: The electoral process has undergone significant changes since 1800. In the election of 1800, the selection of electors was primarily decided by state legislatures, without the direct involvement of voters. Today, electors are chosen through a popular vote in each state, and presidential candidates campaign to win the support of these electors.
2. Political climate: The political climate in 1800 was characterized by intense partisanship and bitter personal attacks. Candidates, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, were involved in a highly contentious campaign filled with personal insults and scathing newspaper editorials. Today's elections still witness political division and strong campaigns, but they are typically fought on more policy-oriented grounds rather than personal attacks.
3. Voter demographics: In terms of voter demographics, there have been significant changes over time. During the election of 1800, suffrage was limited to white male property owners, excluding a significant portion of the population from participating in the electoral process. In contrast, today's elections embrace universal suffrage, allowing all citizens above a certain age to vote, regardless of gender, race, or property ownership.
4. Campaign strategies: Campaign strategies in the election of 1800 were primarily focused on pamphlets, newspapers, speeches, and personal correspondence. Today, campaigns have evolved to include television advertisements, social media outreach, online fundraising, town hall meetings, and televised debates, among various other strategies. The advancement of technology has significantly altered the ways in which candidates engage with voters.
By comparing these key aspects, you can highlight some of the fundamental differences between today's elections and the election of 1800. It's important to note that this is just a starting point, and further exploration of these topics will allow you to build a comprehensive understanding and express it in your own words.