Why was Adams defeated for president in the election of 1800?
Hi, love…Adams lost re-election because in general he was unpopular. Aside from true political unpopularity, which included choice D you provided, he presented himself as an obnoxious, abrasive man to deal with in government. He could be pretty graceless in debating opponents, regardless of whether or not he was correct in his assessments. It isn’t true that he was too similar to Hamilton. He started out appreciating Hamilton, but quickly got spooked by how ambitious and reckless (in terms of international policy and war politics) the man could be. Also, he didn’t offend citizens who were against the war- rather, he offended those who clamored for war by not going. He realized that the US simply couldn’t afford, financially or otherwise, another war, in spite of how badly we were insulted by France or Britain. In the end, also, Jefferson was not only more amiable in general, but was Adams’ intellectual and political equal, as well as a Virginian. Always, but especially during the for
