United States House election, 1792
Encyclopedia
The U.S. House election, 1792 was an election for the United States House of Representatives
in 1792 which coincided with the re-election of President
George Washington
. While Washington ran for president as an independent, his followers (and more specifically, supporters of Alexander Hamilton
) formed the nation's first organized political party, the Federalist Party
. In response, followers of Thomas Jefferson
and James Madison
created the opposition Democratic-Republican Party
. These loose organizations represented a grand division in American political thought. The Federalists represented urbanization, industralization, mercantilism
, centralized government, and broad constitutional interpretation. In Contrast, Democratic-Republicans supported an agrarian republic based on self-sufficient farmers and small, localized governments with limited power.
Despite nearly unanimous support for Washington, Jeffersonian ideas edged Hamiltonian thoughts at the ballot box, with the Democratic-Republicans taking 24 seats more than they did prior to organization (mostly due to the additions of new seats in the Western states, where Democratic-Republican support was highest because of a farming culture), and winning a thin majority in the legislature.
In this period each state fixed its own date for a congressional general election; as early as August 1792 (New Hampshire and Rhode Island) or as late as September 1793 (Kentucky). This article covers all such state elections to the 3rd Congress. Elections to a Congress took place both in the even-numbered year before and in the odd-numbered year when the Congress convened. In some states the congressional delegation was not elected until after the legal start of the Congress (on the 4th day of March in the odd numbered year). This Congress met on December 2, 1793.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
in 1792 which coincided with the re-election of President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George Washington
George Washington
George Washington was the dominant military and political leader of the new United States of America from 1775 to 1799. He led the American victory over Great Britain in the American Revolutionary War as commander-in-chief of the Continental Army from 1775 to 1783, and presided over the writing of...
. While Washington ran for president as an independent, his followers (and more specifically, supporters of Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton
Alexander Hamilton was a Founding Father, soldier, economist, political philosopher, one of America's first constitutional lawyers and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury...
) formed the nation's first organized political party, the Federalist Party
Federalist Party (United States)
The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801...
. In response, followers of Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson
Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the United States Declaration of Independence and the Statute of Virginia for Religious Freedom , the third President of the United States and founder of the University of Virginia...
and James Madison
James Madison
James Madison, Jr. was an American statesman and political theorist. He was the fourth President of the United States and is hailed as the “Father of the Constitution” for being the primary author of the United States Constitution and at first an opponent of, and then a key author of the United...
created the opposition Democratic-Republican Party
Democratic-Republican Party (United States)
The Democratic-Republican Party or Republican Party was an American political party founded in the early 1790s by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Political scientists use the former name, while historians prefer the latter one; contemporaries generally called the party the "Republicans", along...
. These loose organizations represented a grand division in American political thought. The Federalists represented urbanization, industralization, mercantilism
Mercantilism
Mercantilism is the economic doctrine in which government control of foreign trade is of paramount importance for ensuring the prosperity and security of the state. In particular, it demands a positive balance of trade. Mercantilism dominated Western European economic policy and discourse from...
, centralized government, and broad constitutional interpretation. In Contrast, Democratic-Republicans supported an agrarian republic based on self-sufficient farmers and small, localized governments with limited power.
Despite nearly unanimous support for Washington, Jeffersonian ideas edged Hamiltonian thoughts at the ballot box, with the Democratic-Republicans taking 24 seats more than they did prior to organization (mostly due to the additions of new seats in the Western states, where Democratic-Republican support was highest because of a farming culture), and winning a thin majority in the legislature.
In this period each state fixed its own date for a congressional general election; as early as August 1792 (New Hampshire and Rhode Island) or as late as September 1793 (Kentucky). This article covers all such state elections to the 3rd Congress. Elections to a Congress took place both in the even-numbered year before and in the odd-numbered year when the Congress convened. In some states the congressional delegation was not elected until after the legal start of the Congress (on the 4th day of March in the odd numbered year). This Congress met on December 2, 1793.
Overall results
| Party | Total seats (change) | Seat percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic-Republican Party Democratic-Republican Party (United States) The Democratic-Republican Party or Republican Party was an American political party founded in the early 1790s by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison. Political scientists use the former name, while historians prefer the latter one; contemporaries generally called the party the "Republicans", along... |
54 | +24 | 51.4% |
| Federalist Party Federalist Party (United States) The Federalist Party was the first American political party, from the early 1790s to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801... |
51 | +12 | 48.6% |
| Totals | 105 | +36 | 100% |
See also
- 3rd United States Congress3rd United States CongressThe Third United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, consisting of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives...
- United States presidential election, 1792United States presidential election, 1792The United States presidential election of 1792 was the second presidential election in the United States, and the first in which each of the original 13 states appointed electors...
- United States House of Representatives elections in New York, 1793United States House of Representatives elections in New York, 1793The 1793 United States House of Representatives elections in New York were held in January 1793, to elect 10 U.S. Representatives to represent the State of New York in the United States House of Representatives.-Background:...
External links
- http://clerk.house.gov/art_history/house_history/index.html