As we prepare for the peaceful transfer of power in our nation on January 20, perhaps you thought the 2024 election was controversial. History shows our nation had other contentious moments but came together for a peaceful transfer of power.
Controversy and Unity in the Election of 1800
Look up the election in 1800 between the Democrat-Republican Thomas Jefferson and Federalist John Adams. Being free is certainly not easy. America was divided in the election of 1800 between those who wanted a strong central government that emphasized a healthy manufacturing sector and those who wanted a republic that was agricultural and independent. (Most were farmers in 1800 while manufacturing was an up-and-coming sector). Americans had two excellent candidates who were also Founders. Here was the choice: How should America be governed? As an agrarian or a manufacturing country? Who had the best vision for our new nation? It was a divisive campaign complete with slander and accusations. The House of Representatives decided the election. Remarkably, there was a peaceful transfer of power. Jefferson became our third president.
The Heated Disputes of 1876 and the Compromise of 1877
Enter the election of 1876. Democrat Samuel J. Tilton won the popular vote while the electoral college votes were disputed for four months. Ultimately, the presidency was decided by a fifteen-member Electoral Commission, which developed the Compromise of 1877. Rutherford B. Hayes became our 19th president. This election left a lot of questions in my mind. Some say it was THE most hotly contested election in history due to the division left after the Civil War. Yet, there was a peaceful transfer of power.
We the People: Choosing Order Over Chaos
Transferring power peacefully is one hallmark of a Constitutional Republic that works. Even with disputes, factions, lawfare, and imperfections, our Constitutional Republic endures. Why? Because We the People want it that way. Americans inherently reject chaos in favor of stability and governance. We the People want to be free to go on with our lives. It may take time, but as history shows, we ultimately take our responsibility seriously to maintain eternal vigilance over the United States of America through the peaceful transfer of power.
This is Common Sense Civics and Citizenship. 🇺🇸
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