4. Why did the election of 1824 have to be decided by the House of Representatives
The election of 1824 had to be decided by the House of Representatives because none of the candidates in the election received the required majority of electoral votes. In the election, there were four major candidates: Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, and William H. Crawford.
Andrew Jackson won the popular vote but fell short of the necessary majority in the Electoral College. However, he had received the highest number of electoral votes among the candidates. John Quincy Adams and Henry Clay were also prominent candidates, and the House of Representatives held a contingent election to choose the president from among the top three candidates with the most electoral votes.
Since no candidate received the required majority of electoral votes, the decision was referred to the House of Representatives as stipulated by the Twelfth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The House would then vote to elect the president from the three candidates with the highest number of electoral votes.
In this situation, Henry Clay was eliminated from the presidential race as he received the lowest number of electoral votes. Clay, being Speaker of the House at the time, held significant influence over the outcome. Clay endorsed Adams, and his support played a critical role in securing Adams' victory in the House.
Ultimately, the House of Representatives elected John Quincy Adams as the sixth president of the United States in a controversial decision. This election is often referred to as the "corrupt bargain" due to allegations that Clay's endorsement of Adams was influenced by the promise of Clay becoming Secretary of State under Adams.