Elbridge Gerry, a U.S. Politician, gave his name to a questionable political practice. What was this practice and what did it consist of?
Answers
Elbridge Gerry (/ˈɡɛri/; July 17, 1744 (O.S. July 6, 1744) – November 23, 1814) was an American statesman and diplomat. As a Democratic-Republican he served as the fifth vice president of the United States under President James Madison from March 1813 until his death in November 1814. He is known best for being the namesake of gerrymandering.
Elbridge Gerry
Elbridge-gerry-painting.jpg
5th Vice President of the United States
In office
March 4, 1813 – November 23, 1814
President
James Madison
Preceded by
George Clinton
Succeeded by
Daniel D. Tompkins
9th Governor of Massachusetts
In office
June 10, 1810 – March 4, 1812
Lieutenant
William Gray
Preceded by
Christopher Gore
Succeeded by
Caleb Strong
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Massachusetts's 3rd district
In office
March 4, 1789 – March 3, 1793
Preceded by
Constituency established
Succeeded by
Shearjashub Bourne
Peleg Coffin Jr.
Personal details
Born
Elbridge Thomas Gerry
July 17, 1744
Marblehead, Massachusetts Bay, British America
Died
November 23, 1814 (aged 70)
Washington, D.C., U.S.
Resting place
Congressional Cemetery
Political party
Democratic-Republican
Spouse(s)
Ann Thompson
Children
10
Education
Harvard University (BA, MA)
Signature
Cursive signature in ink
Born into a wealthy merchant family, Gerry vocally opposed British colonial policy in the 1760s, and was active in the early stages of organizing the resistance in the American Revolutionary War. Elected to the Second Continental Congress, Gerry signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation. He was one of three men who attended the Constitutional Convention in 1787 who refused to sign the United States Constitution because it did not then include a Bill of Rights. After its ratification he was elected to the inaugural United States Congress, where he was actively involved in drafting and passage of the Bill of Rights as an advocate of individual and state liberties.
Gerry was at first opposed to the idea of political parties, and cultivated enduring friendships on both sides of the political divide between Federalists and Democratic-Republicans. He was a member of a diplomatic delegation to France that was treated poorly in the XYZ Affair, in which Federalists held him responsible for a breakdown in negotiations. Gerry thereafter became a Democratic-Republican, running unsuccessfully for Governor of Massachusetts several times before winning the office in 1810. During his second term, the legislature approved new state senate districts that led to the coining of the word "gerrymander"; he lost the next election, although the state senate remained Democratic-Republican. Chosen by Madison as his vice presidential candidate in 1812, Gerry was elected, but died a year and a half into his term. He is the only signer of the Declaration of Independence who is buried in Washington, D.C