United States House election, 1796
Encyclopedia
The U.S. House election, 1796 was an election for the United States House of Representatives
to the Fifth United States Congress. Voting in the various states took place between August 1796 (North Carolina) and October 1797 (Tennessee). The first session was convened on May 15, 1797 at the proclamation of the new President. As Kentucky and Tennessee had not yet voted, they were unrepresented until the second session.
A number of new seats for the Federalist Party
gave President John Adams
a loyal Congress. Many of the Federalist pick-ups in Congress came in the Middle Colonies
, where more mixed ideologies (New England
was heavily Federalist and the South and West were highly Democratic-Republican) tilted toward the party of the new president. Federalist trade and infrastructural policies gained ground in the Middle Colonies during this era. With the growth of cities in Maryland
, Pennsylvania
, and New York
, industrialization and mercantilism became more entrenched ideas among voting citizens in these areas.
In this period, each state fixed its own date for a congressional general election. This article covers all such state elections to the 5th 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).
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 Fifth United States Congress. Voting in the various states took place between August 1796 (North Carolina) and October 1797 (Tennessee). The first session was convened on May 15, 1797 at the proclamation of the new President. As Kentucky and Tennessee had not yet voted, they were unrepresented until the second session.
A number of new seats for 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...
gave President John Adams
John Adams
John Adams was an American lawyer, statesman, diplomat and political theorist. A leading champion of independence in 1776, he was the second President of the United States...
a loyal Congress. Many of the Federalist pick-ups in Congress came in the Middle Colonies
Middle Colonies
The Middle Colonies comprised the middle region of the Thirteen Colonies of the British Empire in Northern America. In 1776 during the American Revolution, the Middle Colonies became independent of Britain as the states of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and Delaware.Much of the area was part of...
, where more mixed ideologies (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...
was heavily Federalist and the South and West were highly Democratic-Republican) tilted toward the party of the new president. Federalist trade and infrastructural policies gained ground in the Middle Colonies during this era. With the growth of cities in Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, industrialization and mercantilism became more entrenched ideas among voting citizens in these areas.
In this period, each state fixed its own date for a congressional general election. This article covers all such state elections to the 5th 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).
Overall results
| Party | Total seats (change) | Seat percentage | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Federalist Party | 57 | +10 | 53.8% |
| 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... |
49 | -10 | 46.2% |
| Totals | 106 | 0 | 100% |
See also
- United States Senate elections, 1796United States Senate elections, 1796The United States Senate election of 1796 was an election for the United States Senate which, coinciding with John Adams's election as President, had the ruling Federalist Party gain one seat....
- United States presidential election, 1796United States presidential election, 1796The United States presidential election of 1796 was the first contested American presidential election and the only one in which a president and vice- president were elected from opposing tickets...
- United States House of Representatives elections in New York, 1796United States House of Representatives elections in New York, 1796The 1796 United States House of Representatives elections in New York were held in December 1796, to elect ten U.S. Representatives to represent the State of New York in the United States House of Representatives of the 5th United States Congress.-Background:...