The U.S. House of Representatives elects Thomas Jefferson as the third President of the United States on February 17, 1801, and Aaron Burr as the Vice President, marking the first peaceful transfer of power from one party to another.
The election went to the House because the original electoral results were Jefferson 73, Burr 73, Adams 65 and Pinckney 64. and the tie had to be resolved because the Constitution did not distinguish between candidates for the presidency and vice presidency. This election led to the Twelfth Amendment to the Constitution which declared separate voting for presidential and vice-presidential candidates. The Constitutional Amendment was ratified in 1804. The New Vice president, Aaron Burr is also remembered for killing Alexander Hamilton,, his political rival in a duel in 1804 while still in office.
