Video: 'The American Presidential Election of 1796'

(Wednesday, December 7, 1796, during the United States presidential election, 1796) — Federalist Vice President John Adams of Massachusetts was elected President of the United States today over Democratic-Republican former Secretary of State Thomas Jefferson of Virginia.

Adams and his running mate, former U.S. Minister to Great Britain Thomas Pinckney of South Carolina (who due to electoral law at the time, was technically running against Adams for president), defeated Jefferson and his running mate, Senator Aaron Burr of New York, 53.4%-46.6% in the national popular vote, resulting in a 71-68 victory in the Electoral College.

Because Jefferson received the second highest number of electoral votes, he was elected vice president according to the prevailing rules of electoral college voting (Pinckney was third with 59 and Burr finished fourth with 30 electoral votes).

Adams and Jefferson would be sworn in for their first four-year terms on March 4, 1797.