Jefferson's Second Revolution

An “excellent” history of the tumultuous early years of American government, and a constitutional crisis sparked by the Electoral College ( Booklist ). In the election of 1800, Federalist incumbent John Adams, and the elitism he represented, faced Republican Thomas Jefferson. Jefferson defeated Adams but, through a quirk in Electoral College balloting, tied with his own running mate, Aaron Burr. A constitutional crisis ensued. Congress was supposed to resolve the tie, but would the Federalists h