Culture Spot 04: On this day...October 4

On this day in 1822, the 19th President of the United States, Rutherford B. Hayes was born. He entered office in 1877 after a very tumultuous election in 1876 . He is one of four US Presidents who lost the popular vote but won the Electoral College vote.*

In that election, 185 electoral votes were needed to win. His Democrat opponent, Samuel J. Tilden won 184 votes; Republican candidate Hayes won 165 votes and 20 votes were in dispute in the states of Florida, Louisiana and South Carolina (still militarily occupied by Federal troops following the War Between the States). A Electoral Commission was set up by the Congress to decide who won those 20 votes.

An informal deal was probably struck with the three Southern states awarding Rutherford B. Hayes the 20 votes and thus the 185 needed to win. It is believed that in exchange for Southern support of Hayes, the Republicans promised to withdraw all federal troops from the South.

Learn more about America's 19th President: White House biography, The Rutherford B. Hayes Presidential Center, and his Inaugural Address.

VOCABULARY

tumultuous - délirant, orageux, tumultueux, mouvementé
to set up - établir, former, constituer
to strike a deal - parvénir à un accord
to withdraw - retirer

* The other three US Presidents are John Quincy Adams (1824), Benjamin Harris (1888) and George W. Bush (2000). And two of these, Adams and Bush, had fathers who were also president.