Presidential electoral votes by state.

The U.S. presidential election of 1840 saw President Martin Van Buren fight for re-election against an economic depression and a Whig Party unified for the first time behind war hero William Henry Harrison. Rallying under the slogan "Tippecanoe and Tyler, too," the Whigs easily defeated Van Buren. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (868x635, 77 KB)Image from http://nationalatlas. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (868x635, 77 KB)Image from http://nationalatlas. ... The presidential seal was first used by president Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii The President of the United States of America (often abbreviated to POTUS) is the head of state of the United States. ... Martin Van Buren (December 5, 1782 – July 24, 1862), nicknamed Old Kinderhook, was the eighth President of the United States. ... The United States Whig Party was a political party of the United States. ... William Henry Harrison (February 9, 1773 – April 4, 1841) was an American military leader, politician, and the ninth President of the United States. ... The Battle of Tippecanoe was a decisive victory by United States forces led by then-Governor of the Indiana Territory William Henry Harrison over the forces of Tecumsehs growing American Indian confederation. ... John Tyler (March 29, 1790 – January 18, 1862) was the tenth (1841-1845) President of the United States. ...

This election was unique in that electors cast votes for four men who had been or would become President of the United States: current President Martin Van Buren; President-elect William Henry Harrison; Vice-President-elect John Tyler, who would succeed Harrison upon his death; and James Polk, who received one electoral vote for Vice President. The presidential seal was first used by president Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii The President of the United States of America (often abbreviated to POTUS) is the head of state of the United States. ... The presidential seal was first used by president Hayes in 1880 and last modified in 1959 by adding the 50th star for Hawaii The President of the United States of America (often abbreviated to POTUS) is the head of state of the United States. ... Martin Van Buren (December 5, 1782 – July 24, 1862), nicknamed Old Kinderhook, was the eighth President of the United States. ... William Henry Harrison (February 9, 1773 – April 4, 1841) was an American military leader, politician, and the ninth President of the United States. ... John Tyler (March 29, 1790 – January 18, 1862) was the tenth (1841-1845) President of the United States. ... James Knox Polk (November 2, 1795–June 15, 1849) was the eleventh President of the United States, serving from March 4, 1845 to March 3, 1849. ... The Vice President of the United States is the second-highest executive official of the United States government, the person who, in the words of Adlai Stevenson, is a heartbeat from the presidency, and in the calculation of Vice President John Nance Garner, not worth a bucket of warm piss. ...

Nominations

Democratic Party nomination

Van Buren, the incumbent, was renominated in Baltimore in May 1840. Motto: The Greatest City in America (formerly The City That Reads; BELIEVE is not the official motto but rather a specific campaign) Nickname: Charm City Mob Town B-more Map Political Statistics Founded 30 July 1729 Incorporated 1797 County Independent city Borough {{{borough}}} Parrish {{{parrish}}} Mayor Martin J. OMalley...

Whig Party nomination

For the first time in their history, the Whigs held a national convention to determine their presidential candidate. It opened in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on December 4, 1839, almost a full year before the general election with the three leading candidates being William Henry Harrison, a war hero and the most successful of Van Buren's opponents in the 1836 election; Winfield Scott, another general, active in skirmishes with the British in 1837 and 1838; and Henry Clay, the Whigs' congressional leader and former Speaker of the House. Downtown Harrisburg Motto: Nickname: Map Political Statistics Founded c. ... December 4 is the 338th day (339th on leap years) of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1839 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... William Henry Harrison (February 9, 1773 – April 4, 1841) was an American military leader, politician, and the ninth President of the United States. ... Presidential electoral votes by state. ... Winfield Scott Winfield Scott (June 13, 1786 – May 29, 1866) was a United States Army lieutenant general, diplomat, and presidential candidate. ... Henry Clay (April 12, 1777 in Hanover County, Virginia, USA – June 29, 1852 in Washington, D.C.) was an leading American statesman and orator who served in both the House of Representatives and Senate. ...

Clay led on the first ballot, but circumstances conspired to deny him the nomination. First of all, the convention came on the heels of a string of Whig electoral losses. Harrison had managed to distance himself from the losses, but Clay, as the party's philosophical leader, could not. Had the convention been held in the spring, when the economic downturn had led to a string of Whig victories, Clay would have had much greater support. Secondly, the convention rules had been drawn up so that whoever won the majority of delegates from a given state would win all the votes from that state; this worked against Clay because he had almost the whole of Southern delegations, which meant that he didn't capture many votes from his opponents in the South, while he had large minority support in Northern delegations, which meant that his opponents poached many delegates from him in the North. Finally, several Southern states which supported Clay had abstained from sending delegates to the convention. As a result, the nomination went to Harrison.

Because Harrison was a Northerner, the Whigs needed to balance the ticket with a Southerner. They also sought a Clay supporter to help unite the party. After being turned down by several Southern Clay supporters, the convention finally found a Southern nominee who had faithfully supported Clay throughout the convention and who would agree to run: Senator John Tyler of Virginia. John Tyler (March 29, 1790 – January 18, 1862) was the tenth (1841-1845) President of the United States. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 35th 110,862 km² 320 km 690 km 7. ...

General election

Campaign

In the wake of the Panic of 1837, Van Buren was widely unpopular, and Harrison, following Andrew Jackson's strategy, ran as a war hero and man of the people while presenting Van Buren as a wealthy snob living in luxury at the public expense. Although Harrison was comfortably wealthy and well educated, his "log cabin" image caught fire, sweeping all sections of the country. The Panic of 1837 was an economic depression, one of the most severe financial crises in the history of the United States. ... Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845), was the seventh President of the United States (1829-1837), hero of the Battle of New Orleans (1815), a founder of the Democratic Party, and the eponym of the era of Jacksonian democracy. ...

Harrison avoided campaigning on the issues, with his Whig Party a broad coalition with few common ideals.

Results

Although his popular vote margin was only about 6 points, Harrison's electoral victory was overwhelming, carrying North, West, and South.

Source (Popular Vote): Leip, David. 1840 Presidential Election Results. Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections (July 27, 2005). William Henry Harrison (February 9, 1773 – April 4, 1841) was an American military leader, politician, and the ninth President of the United States. ... The United States Whig Party was a political party of the United States. ... Official language(s) None Capital Columbus Largest city Columbus (largest metropolitan area is Cleveland) Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 34th 116,096 km² 355 km 355 km 8. ... John Tyler (March 29, 1790 – January 18, 1862) was the tenth (1841-1845) President of the United States. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 35th 110,862 km² 320 km 690 km 7. ... Martin Van Buren (December 5, 1782 – July 24, 1862), nicknamed Old Kinderhook, was the eighth President of the United States. ... The Democratic Party is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 27th 141,205 km² 455 km 530 km 13. ... Richard Mentor Johnson (October 17, 1780 – November 19, 1850) was a Representative and a Senator from Kentucky and the ninth Vice President of the United States. ... Official language(s) English Capital Frankfort Largest city Louisville Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 37th 104,749 km² 225 km 610 km 1. ... Littleton Waller Tazewell (December 17, 1774–May 6, 1860) was a U.S. Senator from and governor of Virginia. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 35th 110,862 km² 320 km 690 km 7. ... James Knox Polk (November 2, 1795–June 15, 1849) was the eleventh President of the United States, serving from March 4, 1845 to March 3, 1849. ... Official language(s) English Capital Nashville Largest city Memphis Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 36th 109,247 km² 195 km 710 km 2. ... James Gillespie Birney (February 4, 1792–November 25, 1857) was an American presidential candidate for the Liberty Party in the 1840 and 1844 elections. ... Liberty Party was a political party in the United States during the mid-19th century. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 27th 141,205 km² 455 km 530 km 13. ... Thomas Earle (April 21, 1796 - July 14, 1849) was an American journalist, lawyer, and politician. ... Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 33rd 119,283 km² 255 km 455 km 2. ... July 27 is the 208th day (209th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 157 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Source (Electoral Vote): Electoral College Box Scores 1789–1996. Official website of the National Archives. (July 31, 2005). July 31 is the 212th day (213th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 153 days remaining. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

^(a) The popular vote figures exclude South Carolina where the Electors were chosen by the state legislature rather than by popular vote. Official language(s) English Capital Columbia Largest city Columbia Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 40th 82,965 km² 320 km 420 km 6 32°430N to 35°12N 78°030W to 83°20W Population  - Total (2000)  - Density Ranked 26th 4,012...

Consequences

Harrison, the oldest President to date, would die little more than a month after his inauguration of pneumonia. The choice of Tyler for Vice President would prove to be disastrous for the Whigs: while Tyler had been a staunch supporter of Clay at the convention, he was a former Democrat and a passionate supporter of states' rights who would block the Whigs' political program in office. The Whigs would eventually drum him out of the party, but his elevation would cost them their best chance to put their ideas into practice.

Electoral college selection

Official language(s) English Capital Columbia Largest city Columbia Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 40th 82,965 km² 320 km 420 km 6 32°430N to 35°12N 78°030W to 83°20W Population  - Total (2000)  - Density Ranked 26th 4,012...

See also

• History of the United States (1789-1849)

This article covers the History of the United States from 1789 through 1849. ...

References

Books

• Holt, Michael F. (1999). The Rise and Fall of the American Whig Party: Jacksonian Politics and the Onset of the Civil War, Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-505544-6.

Web

• A Historical Analysis of the Electoral College. The Green Papers. URL accessed on March 20, 2005.

March 20 is the 79th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (80th in Leap years). ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

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