Election of 1824

The election of 1824 is one of the most unique and interesting elections in American history. The four candidates in the election were William Crawford, Henry Clay, John Quincy Adams, and Andrew Jackson. They were all from the Jacksonian Republican Party. William H. Crawford was very experienced in politics. Before running for president in 1824, he was James Monroe's secretary of war and he was also secretary of treasury under Monroe and James Madison. He also served in congress as an U.S. Senator from Georgia. He was a minister to France from 1813 through 1815. Prior to the election of 1824, Crawford had a stroke and was nearly blinded. Despite his health, the Congressional caucuses selected Crawford for their presidential candidate. This move proved very unpopular with many states and they decided they were no longer obligated to support the caucus's nominee.1
Henry Clay was originally from Virginia but eventually moved to Lexington, Kentucky. In Kentucky, he was elected to the state legislature in 1803 and served in it until 1809. After leaving the state legislature, Clay was elected to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1811. While in the House of Representatives, he became one of the leaders of the "War Hawks." In 1820, Clay brought about the Missouri Compromise. Clay eventually became the Speaker of the House and had great influenced over the House and he was a slaveholder. Later in his life he became known as "The Great Pacificator" and "The Great Compromiser."2 Andrew Jackson was the first person ever elected to the House of Representatives from Tennessee. After leaving the House, he served in the Senate. In the war of 1812, Jackson became one the major generals of the war and he became the national hero of the war when he defeated the British at the Battle of New Orleans. After this battle people nationwide started calling him "Old Hickory."3 Jackson said his main concern if he was president would be the internal