Elbridge Gerry

Elbridge Thomas Gerry (July 17, 1744 – November 23, 1814) was an American politician from Massachusetts. As a Democratic-Republican, he was elected the fifth vice president of the United States and served serving under President James Madison, from March 4, 1813 to his death, a year and a half later.

Gerry was a member of the Continental Congress and was a signer of both the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation.

He was a delegate to the Constitutional Convention in 1787 but did not sign the Constitiution.

Gerry was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and served there from 1789 to 1793.

Gerry was elected governor of Massachusetts in 1810 and served for two years. While serving as governor, Gerry supported a plan that would change the voting districts in Massachusetts to give more power to his Democratic-Republican Party. "Gerrymandering" is named after him and is a word that is now used when a political party tries to create more favourable voting districts.

Gerry became vice president under Madison but died in office on November 23, 1814.

Category:1744 births
Category:1814 deaths
Category:Signers of the U.S. Declaration of Independence
Category:Governors of Massachusetts
Category:19th-century American politicians
Category:18th-century American politicians
Category:Vice presidents of the United States