The first contested United States presidential election took place in the fall of 1796, pitting Thomas Jefferson against Vice President John Adams. Arguably, no presidential election in the country’s history has ever featured a choice between two such American titans. Jefferson was the leader of the Democratic-Republicans who were pro-French and favored strong states’ rights. Adams was the favorite son of the Federalist Party that was pro-British and favored a strong central government. For the most part, the election split along geographic lines with Adams capturing the north and Jefferson the southern states, plus Pennsylvania.

From the First Continental Congress in 1774 until the election of 1824, America was more politically united than at any other time in our nation’s history. While there were differences of opinion, the Founders had a common goal of gaining our independence from England. Only after England was defeated and the new Constitution took effect did their unity begin to splinter.