Jefferson's election, however, was still uncertain. By a curious provision in the Constitution, presidential electors were required to vote for two persons without indicating which office each was to fill, the one receiving the highest number of votes to be President and the candidate standing next to be Vice President. It so happened that Aaron Burr, the Republican candidate for Vice President, had received the same number of votes as Jefferson; as neither had a majority the election was thrown into the House of Representatives, where the Federalists held the balance of power. Although it was well known that Burr was not even a candidate for President, his friends and many Federalists began intriguing for his election to that high office. Had it not been for the vigorous action of Hamilton the prize might have been snatched out of Jefferson's hands. Not until the thirty-sixth ballot on February 17, 1801, was the great issue decided in his favor.[2] =References= J.S. Bassett, _The Federalist System_ (American Nation Series). C.A. Beard, _Economic Origins of Jeffersonian Democracy_. H. Lodge, _Alexander Hamilton_. J.T. Morse, _Thomas Jefferson_. =Questions= 1. Who were the leaders in the first administration under the Constitution? 2. What step was taken to appease the opposition? 3. Enumerate Hamilton's great measures and explain each in detail. 4. Show the connection between the parts of Hamilton's system. 5. Contrast the general political views of Hamilton and Jefferson. 6. What were the important results of the "peaceful" French Revolution (1789-92)? 7. Explain the interaction of opinion between France and the United States. 8. How did the "Reign of Terror" change American opinion? 9. What was the Burke-Paine controversy? 10. Show how the war in Europe affected American commerce and involved America with England and France. 11. What were American policies with regard to each of those countries? 12. What was the outcome of the Alien and Sedition Acts? =Research Topics= =Early Federal Legislation.=--Coman, _Industrial History of the United States_, pp. 133-156; Elson, _History of the United States_, pp. 341-348. =Hamilton's Report on Public Credit.=--Macdonald, _Documentary Source Book_, pp. 233-243. =The French Revolution.=--Robinson and Beard, _Development of Modern Europe_, Vol. I, pp. 224-282; Elson, pp. 351-354. =The Burke-Paine Controversy.=--Make an analysis of Burke's _Reflections on the French Revolution_ and Paine's _Rights of Man_. =The Alien and Sedition Acts.=--Macdonald, _Documentary Source Book_, pp. 259-267; Elson, pp. 367-375. =Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions.=--Macdonald, pp. 267-278. =Source Studies.=--Materials in Hart, _American History Told by Contemporaries_, Vol. III, pp. 255-343. =Biographical Studies.=--Alexander Hamilton, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, and Albert Gallatin.