Aaron Burr Was An Infamous Traitor

Aaron Burr was one of the most infamous traitors in American history.

In 1800, Thomas Jefferson and Burr ran for president together as a ticket. It was understood that Jefferson was running for president and Burr was running for vice president.

Due to a defect in the Constitution (that was subsequently fixed by the 12th Amendment), Jefferson and Burr tied for first with 73 electoral votes. In the event of a tie, the U.S. House of Representatives was supposed to pick the president.

Burr reneged on his deal with Jefferson and made a bid for the presidency. The lame duck Federalist majority U.S. House took 36 ballots to choose Jefferson. The proceedings were tense and there was even talk of civil war. Alexander Hamilton broke the deadlock when he lobbied the Federalists to choose Jefferson.

Burr is most well known for killing Alexander Hamilton in a duel in 1804. Burr was the vice president at the time and was indicted for murder in New York and New Jersey.

Due to Burr’s scheme to steal the presidency from Jefferson in 1800–01, Jefferson chose a different running mate in 1804.

Burr moved west in 1806 and collaborated with the British to entice the western states to break away from the union and start a new country. Burr intended to be the president of the new country.

Burr’s half baked scheme quickly fell apart and he was arrested. Jefferson put him on trial for treason in Richmond in 1807. Chief Justice John Marshall — a bitter enemy of Jefferson — presided over the trial.

Marshall issued jury instructions in accordance with Burr’s wishes that narrowed the definition of treason. The jury acquitted Burr in just twenty five minutes.

Jefferson was furious. Most of the public was of the belief that Burr got off on a technicality — he was widely considered a traitor at the time. Burr was disgraced and left the country for England.