Historedia
Person

Charles Cotesworth Pinckney

Events
5
Episodes
14
Years
1797–1808

Every event in Historedia whose sources name Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, with the role they cite and all of that event’s episodes. This is not a biography, and mentions are grouped by name, so two people with the same name can share this page.

Events and episodes

  1. XYZ Affair

    1797–1800

    Role: American commissioner who had been refused as U.S. minister and who rejected the French demands

    1. March–May 1797 · United StatesCrisis and the Choice of a Commission

      After French seizures of American shipping and Pinckney's rejection as minister, Adams convened Congress and formed a three-man commission to France.

    2. October 1797 · Paris, FranceInformal Demands in Paris and the Refusal

      In Paris in early October 1797, agents of Talleyrand demanded a loan and a £50,000 bribe; the commissioners curtly refused and negotiations never became formal.

    3. November 1797 – October 1798 · Paris, FranceCollapse of the Talks and the Commissioners' Departure

      Talleyrand exploited the commissioners' divisions, appearing only in November to castigate them; Marshall and Pinckney left France in April 1798, and Gerry returned home in October 1798.

    4. 1798–1800 · United StatesDisclosure, the X, Y, Z Letters, and the Quasi-War

      Adams released documents substituting X, Y, and Z for the French agents' names; Congress rearmed, nullified the 1778 alliance, and the affair led to the undeclared Quasi-War.

  2. 1800 United States Presidential Election

    1800–1801

    Role: Federalist vice presidential candidate

    1. December 3, 1800 · Electors voting in their respective statesElectoral College Vote Produces Jefferson–Burr Tie

      Electors met in their respective states on December 3, 1800, casting ballots that produced a tie between Jefferson and Burr.

    2. February 1801 · House of RepresentativesHouse Contingent Election Begins

      In February 1801 the House balloted as states to choose between Jefferson and Burr for president.

    3. February 11, 1801 · Congressional counting of electoral ballotsBallots Opened and Counted

      Electoral ballots were opened and counted on February 11, 1801, with Georgia's certificate differing from the others.

  3. Voting in the 1800 United States Presidential Election

    1800

    Role: Federalist vice presidential candidate

    1. 1800 · United StatesFirst Election with Formally Nominated Tickets

      Unlike 1796, both parties formally nominated tickets for the 1800 election.

    2. 1800 · United StatesBurr's Unorthodox Campaigning Methods

      Aaron Burr employed unorthodox public campaigning methods, credited by some historians with inventing modern electioneering.

    3. October–December 1800 · six states using popular voteStates Using Popular Vote

      Six of the sixteen participating states used some form of popular vote to choose electors.

  4. Jefferson defeats Pinckney in the 1804 United States presidential election

    1804

    Role: Federalist Presidential Nominee

    1. November 1 to December 4, 1804 · United States1804 Presidential Election

      Jefferson defeated Pinckney in the election held between November 1 and December 4, 1804, under the new electoral rules.

  5. United States presidential election of 1808: Madison defeats Pinckney

    1808

    Role: Federalist Candidate

    1. January 1808 · Congressional Nominating CaucusCongressional Nominating Caucus

      Bradley convened the 1808 caucus, where Madison secured the Democratic-Republican nomination over Monroe and Clinton, despite internal opposition to the caucus system.

    2. September 1808 · Federalist CaucusFederalist Caucus

      The Federalist caucus met in September 1808 to re-nominate Charles Cotesworth Pinckney and Rufus King, hoping to capitalize on economic dissatisfaction.

    3. November 4 to December 7, 1808 · United StatesElection Voting Period

      Presidential elections were held from November 4 to December 7, 1808, with Madison defeating Pinckney decisively outside Federalist strongholds.

Sources

  1. XYZ Affair Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-21
  2. 1800 United States presidential election Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-27
  3. Charles Cotesworth Pinckney Wikipedia, revision of 2026-08-03
  4. 1808 United States presidential election Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-02