While George Washington was president Jefferson served as his Secretary of State and favored a centralized national bank.
In the 1796 ellection he was the favorite of the Democratic-Republican party but lost to John Adams a Federalist. Adams did make Jefferson his vice president.
In 1800 the Federalist party was losing power and the election votes ended in a tie. After debate in the House of Representatives Jefferson emerged as the winner and became President.
Once elected he wanted national unity and both parties to get along as it had been a vicious campaigned between the two parties.
During his first term the country saw prosperity, lower taxes and a reduction in national debt. This led to him winning a landslide victory in 1804.
Above is a picture of John Adams who defeated Jefferson in the 1796 elections. What party did John Adams belong too?
| Democrat | Communist | Federalist |