Final answer:
The presidential election of 1824 was the first where the popular vote played a significant role but was not the first to use the Electoral College. This election was the first to see a president elected without a majority of Electoral College votes, leading to a House of Representatives decision and the strengthening of a two-party system.
Step-by-step explanation:
The presidential election of 1824 was notable for being the first election where the popular vote significantly influenced the selection of electors, and thus the outcome of the election. It was not, however, the first to use the Electoral College, which was in place from the very first presidential election. Instead, it was the first one in which a president was elected without winning a majority in the Electoral College.
Andrew Jackson won the popular vote and the greatest number of electoral votes but did not secure the necessary majority. Consequently, the decision went to the House of Representatives, where John Quincy Adams was chosen as president, an outcome that contributed to the development of a strong two-party system. During the 1824 election, electors were chosen by popular vote in eighteen states, while the others used different methods such as appointments by state legislatures.