From “Washington” to “Biden”; 8 electoral changes in the 235-year history of America
Mehr News Agency, International Group: until the 2024 US presidential election on November 5th (Aban 15). will be held, there is less than a month left; An important event that created a platform for dealing with the most important American presidents and special developments during their periods of power.
America has had 46 presidents so far. The first one was “George Washington” who was elected in 1789 and the 46th president of this country is “Joe Biden” who won the 2020 election and took power from January 2021.
According to the fact that some American presidents have held this seat for more than one term, America has held 59 presidential elections to date. US presidential elections are held every four years. Some presidents have been elected to two consecutive (or gap) terms, while others have served only one term or had shorter terms due to reasons such as resignation or assassination.
Therefore, in the coming weeks, the 60th American presidential election will be held, so that “Kamala Harris” representing the Democratic spectrum or “Donald Trump” the candidate of the Republican Party will be the 47th president. The Republic of this country enters the White House.
According to the above explanations, 12 of the most important American presidents are: George Washington (1797-1789), Thomas Jefferson (1801-1809), Abraham Lincoln (1865-1861), Theodore Roosevelt (1901-1909), Woodrow Wilson (1921-1913), Franklin D. Roosevelt (1945-1933), Harry Truman (1953-1945), John F. Kennedy (1963-1961), Lyndon B. Johnson (1969-1963), Richard Nixon (1974-1969), Ronald Reagan (1989-1981) and Barack Obama (2017-2009).
Key developments in the context of the 235-year-old American elections
The American presidential election, which has continued for more than two centuries with ups and downs, has been accompanied by various developments during this period, which are followed by eight of these developments. key and important will be mentioned;
1. The first election and creation of the “Electoral Assembly”
structure
The first US presidential election was held in 1789 and “George Washington” was elected as the first president of this country. He became president without any electoral rival and with the full support of the Electoral College. An electoral college is a system in which each state has a number of electoral votes proportional to its population and number of representatives in Congress. To this day, this system is still used in the US presidential elections, although it has been criticized many times.
2. Early periods: the growth of the two-party system
Presidential elections were not very competitive at first because there was only one major political party or group, but over time, political parties grew increasingly. In the early 19th century, two major parties emerged on the American political scene, the Federalists and the Republican-Democrats. One of the first important elections in American history was the election of 1800, which resulted in the victory of Thomas Jefferson from the Republican-Democratic Party and the defeat of the then Federalist President John Adams. This election was the first peaceful transfer of power between different parties in America.
3. The Election of 1860: Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War
One of the most influential elections in American history was the 1860 election. Abraham Lincoln was elected president from the newly established Republican Party. Lincoln’s election was associated with the slavery crisis and led to the secession of the southern states and the beginning of the American Civil War. This war not only led to extensive social and economic changes in the country, but also changed the electoral system and politics in America forever.
4. Twentieth century: social reforms and political transformations
In the early 20th century, American presidential elections were associated with economic crises and world wars. In the 1932 election, at the height of the Great Depression, Franklin D. Roosevelt won the Democratic Party and introduced great economic programs called “New Deal” to reform the economy and rebuild the country. This election was a turning point in American history and greatly expanded the role of the federal government in the economy and public welfare.
Another important election in the 20th century was the 1960 election in which John F. Kennedy won the Democratic presidency against Republican Richard Nixon. This election was accompanied by the first televised debate in history, and Kennedy was able to present himself as a young and charismatic candidate in this debate.
5. The 2000 election: legal disputes and vote counting in Florida
The 2000 presidential election between George W. Bush from the Republican Party and Al Gore from the Democratic Party became one of the most controversial elections in American history. A narrow margin between the two candidates in the Florida state called for a recount. After weeks of legal battles and the ruling of the US Supreme Court, George Bush was elected president. This election started many discussions about the electoral assembly system and vote counting methods.
6. 2008 election: election of the first African-American president
In the 2008 election, Illinois state senator Barack Obama was elected as the first African American president. Obama won in the middle of the great economic crisis by promising sweeping changes in domestic and foreign policies. This election was a symbol of social progress in America and profound changes in the public attitude towards the issue of race and equality.
7. 2016 election: Donald Trump’s victory and political differences
The 2016 election was one of the most tense and controversial elections in American history. Donald Trump, a businessman and TV personality, from the Republican Party, was able to defeat Hillary Clinton, the former Secretary of State and the candidate of the Democratic Party, with populist promises. Despite losing the popular vote, Trump was elected president thanks to his victory in the electoral convention. This election showed the deep social and political divisions in America, and many analysts pointed to the challenges of democracy and the American electoral system.
8. 2020 election: pandemic crisis and Joe Biden’s victory
2020 elections were held in unprecedented conditions and in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic. Biden, the candidate of the Democratic Party, won against the then President Trump. These elections were accompanied by unprecedented participation of people and widespread use of postal voting due to the pandemic. After the results were announced, Trump refused to accept defeat and made allegations of election fraud, which eventually led to an attack on the US Congress on January 6, 2021. However, Biden was officially introduced as the 46th president of the United States.
Speech conclusion
The American presidential election has experienced many changes throughout its 235-year history; From the creation of the “Electoral Assembly” structure, the expansion of voting rights for all citizens, to the inauguration of a colored president and the ever-increasing role of media and technology in the formation of election results.
At the same time, the presidential election of this country is one of the most important and influential events in the world, with a complex and evolving history. Because this election not only reflects the political and social changes of America, but also had a deep impact on the domestic and foreign policies of this country. From the first election in 1789 to the latest election in 2020, each election has shaped the history of America in some way and determined the future direction of this country.
Now we have to wait for Harris or Trump to enter the White House during the 60th round of presidential elections in November; An event that, apart from internal developments, will undoubtedly affect global developments as well.
