The Origins of the Twelfth Amendment: The Electoral College in the Early Republic, 1787-1804

This work provides the first in-depth study of the Twelfth Amendment of the United States Constitution from the larger perspective of the development of the electoral college. Too often viewed as a modest reform to prevent the recurrence of the 1800-1801 election crisis, the Twelfth Amendment, according to Kuroda, was actually the decisive step in the evolution of the modern electoral college. Significantly, the amendment implicitly recognized the existence of national political parties and allowed the party which won the most electoral votes to win the offices of President and Vice President. But it was also significant for what it did not do: it did not abolish presidential electors; did not prohibit a winner-take-all electoral system; and did not mandate district election of electors.

Table of Contents:
Preface Introduction A New Hand: No Kings, No Queens Origins of the Electoral College The Ratification Debate The First Presidential Election New York Abstains Learning To Play New Rules for the Game in 1792 An Election without Washington Preparations for 1800 The Election of 1800 The Contingency Election of 1801 The Electoral College in 1801 Shuffling the Deck Partisan Principles and Interests The House Initiates an Amendment The Senate Adopts a Different Plan The House Concurs Winner Take All Ratification of the Twelfth Amendment The Election of 1804 Epilogue Appendices Notes Bibliography Index

About the Author :
TADAHISA KURODA is Professor of History and Associate Dean of the Faculty at Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York.

Review :
?A must for any library or museum that is in need of research material on the colonial period, especially politics.?-Smoke & Fire News ?But for anyone interested in seeing how political developments prompted early constitutional change and how politics operated to restrict that change to the barest minimum this book offers a comprehensive and absorbing account.?-William and Mary Quarterly ?Kuroda, in a concise format and readable text, offers a complete assessment of the college from its 1787 inception to its 1804 revision that has long been needed and is well worth reading.?-New York State Historical Association "Kuroda, in a concise format and readable text, offers a complete assessment of the college from its 1787 inception to its 1804 revision that has long been needed and is well worth reading."-New York State Historical Association "A must for any library or museum that is in need of research material on the colonial period, especially politics."-Smoke & Fire News "But for anyone interested in seeing how political developments prompted early constitutional change and how politics operated to restrict that change to the barest minimum this book offers a comprehensive and absorbing account."-William and Mary Quarterly