History of the United States II / Unit 5 USH2 0604 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Presidents Under Half
Captions available
The idea
Every president elected from eighteen seventy-six to eighteen ninety-two won with less than half of the popular vote.
In practice
Weak executives owing favours to the party machinery that elected them.
Where people slip
The anchor calls it a repetitive cycle: presidents repaid their debts with patronage, the one power they held in abundance.
Your place on the trail
Every lesson rests on earlier ones and opens later ones. Tap any to jump.
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