1824: Congress decides outcome of presidential election on this day in history
NOVANEWS
The election saw the final disruption of both the dominant Democratic Republican Party and the dying Federalist Party, and the creation of new political formations that would slowly evolve into the Democratic and National Republicans (later Whig) Parties—thus bringing about arguably the greatest voter realignment in US history.
By: VNN
On this 1st day of December in 1824, Congress acts to decide a presidential election for the first time in history, giving the presidency to John Quincy Adams.
A clause in the Constitution’s 12th Amendment puts the power of deciding an election in the hands of Congress if no candidate receives a majority of the Electoral College votes.
Four candidates had originally campaigned for the presidency in 1823-24 and each man’s support base ge...