Help regarding the 12th Amendment please.

[VLC98]

Could someone please tell me, possibly in one sentence of plain English, what the 12th Amendment did? I'm helping my 6th grader with his homework and I can't get my head around it.

Also, if anyone knows which President, other than Thomas Jefferson, was chosen by the House of Representatives, it would save me some time.
Thank you!

[zbird]

1. Here's some info on the 12th.

"The 12th Amendment redefines how the President and Vice-President are chosen by the Electoral College, making the two positions cooperative, rather than first and second highest vote-getters. It also ensures that anyone who becomes Vice-President must be eligible to become President."

http://www.usconstitution.net/constquick.html

[VLC98]

3. Great site, thank you very much! n/t

[BoX o BooX]

2. John Quincy Adams was selected by the House.

It was part of the so-called "Corrupt Bargain" which originally deprived Jackson of the White House.

I cannot recall if Jefferson and Quincy Adams were the only two to be selected by the House.

[zbird]

4. Yes, they were the only two. Here's a link for confirmation.

http://www.archives.gov/federal_register/electoral_college/print_friendly.html?page=history_content.html&title=NARA%20%7C%20Federal%20Register%20%7C%20U.%20S.%20Electoral%20College

[VLC98]

5. Thanks for helping.

According to the question, there were only two chosen by the house. I didn't even know the 2000 election wasn't the first balls-up.

[BoX o BooX]

7. Heck, yeah.

Four presidents have received fewer votes than an opponent... Chimp is one of them. It's an absurd system. I explained it to my nephew for the first time last week. He was furious; he had no idea things were done that way.

[Bronco69]

6. Wow! What a coincidence!

John Quincy Adams (the son of John Adams) was selected by the House and george w. bush* (the son of George H.W. Bush) was selected by the Supreme Court.

[BoX o BooX]

8. Let's not get carried away with that comparison, though.

Quincy Adams was a first-rate mind, an exemplary public servant, an unparalleled diplomat, and possibly the finest Secretary of State the nation has ever had. He was no "fortunate son;" he earned everything he got.

[Vickers]

9. No, I love this comparison! Both of the Adams were one-term Presidents

Bush 41 has had his one-shot...now it's Georgie's turn to get the boot after 4 years.

[BoX o BooX]

10. I'll buy that part.

But I just wanted to make clear that both Adamses were patriots and fine men. I hate to see them lumped together with that fucking criminal Walker/Bush syndicate.

[VLC98]

11. One more thing..

Am I right in thinking then, that vice presidents prior to the 12th amendment were actually the runners-up from the presidential election? If so, I'm not surprised they had to make the change.

[BoX o BooX]

12. You are, indeed, correct.

It made things a bit sticky after the introduction of political parties. And you are also correct in thinking that's why the 12th Amendment was passed.