United States House election, 1808
Encyclopedia
The U.S. House election, 1808 was an election for the United States House of Representatives
to the Eleventh United States Congress. Voting in the various states took place between April 1808 (New York)
and May 1809 (Tennessee) with the Congress meeting on May 22, 1809.
Although Democratic-Republicans maintained control of the presidency (under James Madison
) and Congress, Federalists made gains in the House, mainly due to the unpopularity of the Embargo Act of 1807
. As a result, voters in New England
, who often had ties to the shipping or manufacturing industries, overwhelmingly chose to send Federalists to Washington. Economic stagnation due to the closing of the export market and fears that Democratic-Republican policies had the potential for leading America into a naval war with France or Britain were key issues that allowed for a brief Federalist resurgence.
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...
to the Eleventh United States Congress. Voting in the various states took place between April 1808 (New York)
United States House of Representatives elections in New York, 1808
The 1808 United States House of Representatives elections in New York were held from April 26 to 28, 1808, to elect 17 U.S. Representatives to represent the State of New York in the United States House of Representatives of the 11th United States Congress. At the same time, a vacancy was filled in...
and May 1809 (Tennessee) with the Congress meeting on May 22, 1809.
Although Democratic-Republicans maintained control of the presidency (under 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...
) and Congress, Federalists made gains in the House, mainly due to the unpopularity of the Embargo Act of 1807
Embargo Act of 1807
The Embargo Act of 1807 and the subsequent Nonintercourse Acts were American laws restricting American ships from engaging in foreign trade between the years of 1807 and 1812. The Acts were diplomatic responses by presidents Thomas Jefferson and James Madison designed to protect American interests...
. As a result, voters in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, who often had ties to the shipping or manufacturing industries, overwhelmingly chose to send Federalists to Washington. Economic stagnation due to the closing of the export market and fears that Democratic-Republican policies had the potential for leading America into a naval war with France or Britain were key issues that allowed for a brief Federalist resurgence.
Overall results
| Party | Total seats (change) | Seat percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Democratic-Republicans 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... |
92 | -24 | 64.8% |
| Federalists 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... |
50 | +24 | 35.2% |
| Totals | 142 | 0 | 100% |