Elections of 1789
August 2, 1788 – North Carolina becomes the fourth state to not ratify the Constitution. They also call for a second convention to be called.
September 13, 1788 – After many days of debate, the Congress of the Confederation sets the date for the first meeting of the new government and the election of the President. The date set for the choosing of electors is set to the second Tuesday of February with their decisions given to the Senate by the second Wednesday in March. The vote was 9-4 with the two sides being the states that ratified the Constitution against those that did not. The congress also voted on making Philadelphia the seat of the new government as New York City was not eligible because of failure of New York to ratify the Constitution.
September 30, 1788 – Even with elections set to take place for the new government, the Anti-Federalists believe that the new government will not be seen as legitimate by many Americans or the international community if New York or Virginia is not a part of it. They hope to influence the upcoming elections for the Congress and the Presidency in order for there to be a call for a second convention to amend the Constitution.
October 21, 1788 – A meeting of important Federalists takes place at Mount Vernon. Important members include Alexander Hamilton and George Washington. This emergency meeting was in response to the failure of New York and Virginia to ratify the Constitution. Even though main goal of the meeting was to come up with a game plan to deal with the next few months, it eventually broke down into everyone pleading George Washington to temporarily move to Maryland in order to become President. The general feeling was that if Washington became the President the rouge states would join the union in due time. Although Washington was a huge Federalist, he still placed a lot of his loyalty to the Commonwealth of Virginia. Tempers flared when Washington felt as if Virginia was insulted by a statement made by Alexander Hamilton. This strains the once great relationship between the two men. Washington tells the group that he will make his decision within the month. Also Hamilton announces to the group that he is planning the succession of New York City from the state of New York. Most of the people at the meeting support his actions but some including Washington fear the precedent that could come out of this.
November 14, 1788 – After much soul searching, George Washington publicly declares that he will not temporary move to Maryland in order to become an eligible candidate for President. The actions by Hamilton at the meeting made Washington suspicious of Hamilton’s ambitions and made him rethink his position on the Constitution. He still supported it, but not as much as he had earlier in the year.
December 1788 – January 1789 – Without Washington as the inevitable President, many people where pushed by their state governments to run for President. Also due to the absence of Washington the people that were interested in becoming presidents had to campaign for the job. The fears of some of the delegates at the Constitutional Convention came true as almost every state had someone perusing the office.
February 10, 1989 – The election of Presidential Electors takes place throughout the Union.
March 4, 1789 – The First Congress of the United States of America is seated at Congress Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The makeup of the body is almost split even with the Federalists having a slight majority over the Anti-Federalists.
March 11, 1789 – The votes of the Presidential Electors are counted in the Senate. The results are:
John Adams (MA) – 31
John Dickinson (DE) – 18 (OTL did not receive any electoral votes)
Samuel Huntington (CT) – 13 (OTL did not receive any electoral votes)
William Patterson (NJ) – 12
John Rutledge (SC) – 12
Robert H. Harrison (MD) – 9
John Langdon (NH) – 8 (OTL did not receive any electoral votes)
John Hancock (MA) – 5
John Milton (GA) – 4
Edward Telfair (GA) – 3
Benjamin Lincoln (MA) – 2
James Armstrong (GA) – 1
John Adams becomes the first President of the United States of America with John Dickinson becoming the Vice President.
August 2, 1788 – North Carolina becomes the fourth state to not ratify the Constitution. They also call for a second convention to be called.
September 13, 1788 – After many days of debate, the Congress of the Confederation sets the date for the first meeting of the new government and the election of the President. The date set for the choosing of electors is set to the second Tuesday of February with their decisions given to the Senate by the second Wednesday in March. The vote was 9-4 with the two sides being the states that ratified the Constitution against those that did not. The congress also voted on making Philadelphia the seat of the new government as New York City was not eligible because of failure of New York to ratify the Constitution.
September 30, 1788 – Even with elections set to take place for the new government, the Anti-Federalists believe that the new government will not be seen as legitimate by many Americans or the international community if New York or Virginia is not a part of it. They hope to influence the upcoming elections for the Congress and the Presidency in order for there to be a call for a second convention to amend the Constitution.
October 21, 1788 – A meeting of important Federalists takes place at Mount Vernon. Important members include Alexander Hamilton and George Washington. This emergency meeting was in response to the failure of New York and Virginia to ratify the Constitution. Even though main goal of the meeting was to come up with a game plan to deal with the next few months, it eventually broke down into everyone pleading George Washington to temporarily move to Maryland in order to become President. The general feeling was that if Washington became the President the rouge states would join the union in due time. Although Washington was a huge Federalist, he still placed a lot of his loyalty to the Commonwealth of Virginia. Tempers flared when Washington felt as if Virginia was insulted by a statement made by Alexander Hamilton. This strains the once great relationship between the two men. Washington tells the group that he will make his decision within the month. Also Hamilton announces to the group that he is planning the succession of New York City from the state of New York. Most of the people at the meeting support his actions but some including Washington fear the precedent that could come out of this.
November 14, 1788 – After much soul searching, George Washington publicly declares that he will not temporary move to Maryland in order to become an eligible candidate for President. The actions by Hamilton at the meeting made Washington suspicious of Hamilton’s ambitions and made him rethink his position on the Constitution. He still supported it, but not as much as he had earlier in the year.
December 1788 – January 1789 – Without Washington as the inevitable President, many people where pushed by their state governments to run for President. Also due to the absence of Washington the people that were interested in becoming presidents had to campaign for the job. The fears of some of the delegates at the Constitutional Convention came true as almost every state had someone perusing the office.
February 10, 1989 – The election of Presidential Electors takes place throughout the Union.
March 4, 1789 – The First Congress of the United States of America is seated at Congress Hall in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The makeup of the body is almost split even with the Federalists having a slight majority over the Anti-Federalists.
March 11, 1789 – The votes of the Presidential Electors are counted in the Senate. The results are:
John Adams (MA) – 31
John Dickinson (DE) – 18 (OTL did not receive any electoral votes)
Samuel Huntington (CT) – 13 (OTL did not receive any electoral votes)
William Patterson (NJ) – 12
John Rutledge (SC) – 12
Robert H. Harrison (MD) – 9
John Langdon (NH) – 8 (OTL did not receive any electoral votes)
John Hancock (MA) – 5
John Milton (GA) – 4
Edward Telfair (GA) – 3
Benjamin Lincoln (MA) – 2
James Armstrong (GA) – 1
John Adams becomes the first President of the United States of America with John Dickinson becoming the Vice President.