Question

question 16

why was the election of 1876 significant?

it was disrupted by the third-party candidacy of horace greeley.
the outcome was determined by an electoral commission established by congress.
the election was proof that most voters wanted to continue military reconstruction in the south.
it served as proof that southern republican leaders were incompetent.

Explanation:

Analyze the historical context of the Election of 1876

The presidential election of 1876 between Republican Rutherford B. Hayes and Democrat Samuel J. Tilden was one of the most contentious in American history. Tilden won the popular vote, but nineteen electoral votes from three Southern states (Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina) and one from Oregon were disputed, leaving both candidates short of the required electoral majority.

Examine the resolution of the disputed election

To resolve the crisis, Congress passed the Electoral Commission Act in January 1877, establishing a temporary 15-member bipartisan Electoral Commission. This commission consisted of five Senators, five Representatives, and five Supreme Court Justices. The commission ultimately awarded all 20 disputed electoral votes to Hayes, securing his victory. This process is directly connected to the Reconstruction Era because the subsequent informal Compromise of 1877 led to the withdrawal of federal troops from the South, effectively ending Reconstruction.

Evaluate the given multiple-choice options

• Option 1: "It was disrupted by the third-party candidacy of Horace Greeley." This is historically incorrect; Horace Greeley ran in the election of 1872, not 1876.
• Option 2: "The outcome was determined by an electoral commission established by Congress." This is historically accurate, as Congress created the 15-member commission to decide the disputed electoral votes.
• Option 3: "The election was proof that most voters wanted to continue military Reconstruction in the South." This is incorrect; there was widespread public fatigue with Reconstruction, and the eventual compromise ended military Reconstruction.
• Option 4: "It served as proof that southern Republican leaders were incompetent." This is an incorrect and biased generalization that does not explain the structural significance of the election.

Answer:

• (A) It was disrupted by the third-party candidacy of Horace Greeley.
• (B) The outcome was determined by an electoral commission established by Congress. (Correct answer)
• (C) The election was proof that most voters wanted to continue military Reconstruction in the South.
• (D) It served as proof that southern Republican leaders were incompetent.