Elbridge Gerry
A principled and contradictory Founding Father who refused to sign the Constitution but later, as governor, lent his name to the dubious art of manipulating electoral maps.
1744–1814 (age 70)·Founding Father, U.S. vice president from 1813 to 1814·Birthday: July 17
Biography
Elbridge Gerry of Massachusetts was a merchant whose revolutionary fervor was matched by a deep suspicion of centralized power. He served in the Second Continental Congress, signed the Declaration of Independence, and helped draft the Articles of Confederation. At the Constitutional Convention, however, he became a vocal Anti-Federalist, refusing to sign the final document because he believed it threatened states' rights and lacked a Bill of Rights. He later reconciled with the new government, serving as a diplomat and as James Madison's Vice President. His lasting, ironic legacy stems from his time as Governor of Massachusetts in 1812, when he approved a redistricting plan so blatantly partisan in favor of his Democratic-Republican Party that a critic said one district resembled a salamander. The term 'gerrymander' was born, forever tying his name to political chicanery.
#1 When Elbridge Was Born
The biggest hits of 1744
Elbridge's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1744Born
1749Started school
1757Became a teenager
1760Could drive
1762Could vote
1765Turned 21
1774Turned 30
1784Turned 40
1794Turned 50
1804Turned 60
1814Turned 70
Key Achievements
- Signed the Declaration of Independence as a representative of Massachusetts.
- Served as the fifth Vice President of the United States under President James Madison.
- Acted as a diplomat to France during the XYZ Affair, taking a hardline stance against bribery demands.
- Served as Governor of Massachusetts, where the infamous 1812 redistricting occurred.
Did You Know?
He is one of only two signers of the Declaration of Independence buried in Washington, D.C. (at the Congressional Cemetery).
He died suddenly while serving as Vice President, the second to die in office.
The term 'gerrymander' was first used in the Boston Gazette on March 26, 1813.
Despite his name being associated with it, historians debate how personally involved he was in crafting the original gerrymandered map.
““The evils we experience flow from the excess of democracy.””
