| A | B |
|---|
| Election of 1800 | Democratic-Republican Thomas Jefferson defeated Federalist John Adams. Led to the 12th Amendment because Burr and Jefferson had equal electoral votes. |
| Election of 1824 | Democratic Republican John Quincy Adams, Henry Clay, William Crawford and Andrew Jackson. Andrew Jackson won the popular vote, but the House of Representatives gave the victory to JQA. |
| Election of 1860 | Republican Abe Lincoln defeated Democrats Stephen Douglas, John C. Breckinridge and Constitutional Unionist John G. Bell. Seven southern states seceded before Lincoln took office. |
| Election of 1876 | Republican Rutherford B. Hayes defeated Democrat Samuel Tilden by one electoral vote, an informal bargain was reached (Compromise of 1877) where Hayes was given victory and Reconstruction was ended. |
| Election of 1896 | Republican William McKinley defeated William Jennings Bryan soundly, but WJB impressed many with his "Cross of Gold" speech condemning the Gold Standard. |
| Election of 1912 | Democrat Woodrow Wilson defeated Republican William H. Taft and Bull Moose Teddy Roosevelt, making Taft the only incumbent to finish third in a re-election bid. |
| Election of 1948 | Democrat Harry Truman defeated Republican Thomas Dewey, despite the infamous Chicago Tribune headline. Progressive Henry Wallace and State's Rights (Dixiecrat) Strom Thurmond also ran. |
| Election of 1960 | Democrat John F. Kennedy defeated Vice-President Richard Nixon. Notable for the impact of television - the cool, calm JFK was preferred over the sweaty and nervous Richard Nixon who had a cold. |
| Election of 1968 | Republican Richard Nixon defeated Democrat Hubert Humphrey. Alabama governor George Wallace was the last third-party candidate to gain electoral college votes. |
| Election of 2000 | Republican George W. Bush defeated Democrat Al Gore in the closest election in American history. Gore won the popular vote but lost the electoral vote by a final count of 271-266. Gore conceded on Dec. 13 after FL controversy |
| Election of 1844 | Democrat James K. Polk defeated Whig Henry Clay as the first "Dark Horse" candidate in American history. |
| Election of 1888 | Republican Benjamin Harrison defeated incumbent Democrat Grover Cleveland despite losing the popular vote. |
| Election of 1940 | Democrat FDR defeated dark horse Republican Wendell Wilkie to gain an unprecedented third term. |
| Election of 2008 | First Election of an African American President |
