Final answer:
In the election of 1796, the Federalist John Adams became President and his Vice President was the Republican Thomas Jefferson. Adams and Jefferson represented the emerging divide between the Federalists and the Republicans, illustrating the development of the party system in the United States. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is a. the Republican Thomas Jefferson.
Step-by-step explanation:
In the election of 1796, the Federalist John Adams was elected President. Running against him was Thomas Jefferson, who despite being Adams' opponent in the presidential race, became the Vice President since at that time, the candidate with the second-highest number of votes became Vice President. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is a. the Republican Thomas Jefferson.
At this time, political factions were starting to become more pronounced in American politics, with John Adams supporting the Federalist agenda, which advocated for a stronger central government, and Thomas Jefferson leading the opposition as a Republican, who championed states' rights and a more limited federal government. These ideological differences illustrated the developing party system in the United States.
It is noteworthy that the election of 1796 was the first to exemplify the emerging partisan divide, as George Washington, who warned people about the dangers of political parties, did not seek a third term. As a result, the presidency was contested by Adams and Jefferson, two pivotal figures in the establishment of American independence.