Final answer:
In the presidential election of 1824, all major candidates were aligned with the same party, the Democratic-Republicans, as the Federalist Party had declined. The answer to the number of candidates aligned with political parties is (a) none.
Step-by-step explanation:
The presidential election of 1824 was unique in that it involved major candidates who did not align themselves with distinctly different political parties. All prominent candidates, including John Quincy Adams, were aligned with the same political entity – the Democratic-Republicans. This was due to the decline of the Federalist Party, which by that time had ceased to exert significant influence at a national level. Therefore, the correct answer to how many major candidates of the presidential election of 1824 aligned themselves with political parties is (a) none, as they were all identifying with a single political party that was dominant at the time.
Calhoun, and Henry Clay. Andrew Jackson and John Quincy Adams aligned themselves with the Democratic-Republicans, John C. Calhoun represented the slaveholding South, and Henry Clay represented the West. This election marked a turning point in American politics with the introduction of party politics and the use of the popular vote.