Historedia
Person

Elbridge Gerry

Events
4
Episodes
12
Years
1797–1813

Every event in Historedia whose sources name Elbridge Gerry, 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 willing to be flexible, who remained in France and returned home in October 1798

    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. 1812 United States presidential election

    1812

    Role: Governor of Massachusetts; Madison's running mate

    1. 1812 · United StatesClinton builds an opposition coalition

      After the June 1812 war declaration, Clinton sought to unite anti-war Democratic-Republicans and Federalists against Madison.

    2. 1812 · United StatesMadison narrowly wins re-election

      Madison defeated Clinton with 50.4 percent of the popular vote to 47.6 percent, the closest popular-vote result to that point.

    3. May 1812 · Congressional and New York nominating caucusesDemocratic-Republican nominating caucuses

      In May 1812, the congressional caucus re-nominated Madison while the New York caucus nominated Clinton, splitting the party.

    4. October 30 – December 2, 1812 · United StatesElection held during the War of 1812

      The United States declared war on Britain in June 1812, and the presidential election took place during the war's early stages.

  3. Gerrymandering term coined in the Boston Gazette

    1812

    Role: Governor of Massachusetts whose redistricting legislation and name inspired the term

    1. 1812 · Massachusetts state electionsRedistricting outcome in the 1812 election

      Federalists won the Massachusetts House and governorship in 1812, unseating Gerry, but the redistricted state senate stayed in Democratic-Republican hands.

    2. 26 March 1812 · Boston Gazette, Boston, MassachusettsFirst appearance of 'gerrymander' in the Boston Gazette

      The word gerrymander first appeared in the Boston Gazette on 26 March 1812, coined in reaction to redistricting under Governor Elbridge Gerry.

    3. rest of 1812 · Federalist newspapers across Massachusetts, New England, and nationwideSpread of the term through Federalist newspapers

      Throughout the rest of 1812, the word gerrymander was reprinted numerous times in Federalist newspapers in Massachusetts, New England, and nationwide.

  4. James Madison sworn in for a second term as US President

    1813

    Role: Running Mate

    1. March 4, 1813 · Washington, D.C.Second Inauguration

      James Madison was sworn in for a second term as President on March 4, 1813, in Washington, D.C., during the War of 1812.

Sources

  1. XYZ Affair Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-21
  2. James Madison Wikipedia, revision of 2026-10-01
  3. Gerrymandering Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-21
  4. Elbridge Gerry Wikipedia, revision of 2026-09-23