How many vice presidents can you name aloud? Two? Three? Maybe four? Few Americans can remember the vice presidents of our country. Yet the vice president is the second highest-ranking official in the United States government. In addition, the president and the vice president are the only officials elected by the entire nation. With an office of such importance and national prestige, why do the vice presidents leave such a fleeting impression on the citizens of our country? This section will take a closer look at the office of the vice presidency—focusing on the role and responsibilities of the vice president, as well as the history of the office. We hope you'll have a better appreciation for this office—and the people who've served in it—after spending some time discovering the unique story of the office of the vice president.

The Beginning

At the constitutional convention in 1787, the office of the vice president was born. For the men at that convention, the offfice of the vice president was viewed as a ceremonial position rather than a position of importance. Participants in the convention of 1787 were centered on the role and responsibilities of the president. Our nation was newly born, and energies were focused on perfecting the presidency. The office of the vice presidency came as an afterthought.

In the establishment of the first Electoral College, which is the system in place to elect presidents, each member placed two votes. Within this system, the candidate receiving the most votes became president. The candidate receiving the second most votes became, by default, the vice president.

It wasn't too long into our country's constitutional history, however, that a problem with the Electoral College surfaced. In the election of 1800, Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr received the same number of electoral votes. A stalemate ensued, and even the House of Representatives failed to gain a majority for one candidate or the other. Fearing that the new republic was about to fall apart, enough members of the House switched their votes to give Thomas Jefferson the majority. The tie was broken, and Jefferson was elected as our country's third president, leaving Burr with the vice presidency. Recognizing the gaps in the electoral process, Congress decided to pass the 12th Amendment. The 12th Amendment called for electors to cast separate votes for the president and the vice president. Today the vice president does not usually preside over the Senate day-to-day but primarily presides when needed to break a tie.

Primary Role

Due to the lack of importance with which the office of the vice president was viewed, the Constitution of the United States specified only one primary responsibility for the vice president. The Constitution states that the vice president "shall be President of the Senate, but shall have no Vote, unless they be evenly divided" (Article I, section 3). Therefore, the vice president serves as the presiding officer of the United States Senate, and, should a Senate vote end in a tie, the vice president will break the tie.

Throughout American history, opportunities to break ties have been varied. A majority of tie-breaking votes happened before 1850. John Adams holds the record for making 29 tie-breaking votes, with John C. Calhoun close behind at 28. Since the 1870s, no vice president has cast more than 10 tie-breaking votes.

Article II provided an additional guideline for the vice president. As stated in the Constitution, "In Case of the Removal of the President from Office, or of his Death, Resignation, or Inability to discharge the Powers and Duties of the said Office, the Same shall devolve on the Vice President…." (Article II, section 1). Therefore, if a president dies, resigns, or is removed from office, the vice president succeeds him. This clause would create a problem not solved until the mid-twentieth century. For more information on the succession problem, please click here.

Additional Responsibilities

Just as George Washington set the standard for the office of president, John Adams shaped the role of the vice president. Throughout the 19th century, the influence of the vice president depended largely on the individual in the office. Some former vice presidents presided effectively over the Senate. Others focused their energies elsewhere.

For many years, however, the office of the vice president appeared to be a superfluous position filled with frustration and disappointment. Because of the nature of the office, the vice president was viewed as a ceremonial position rather than a "hands-on" position.

Since the 20th century, the position of vice president has evolved into more of an active and involved role, in part because the government began playing a more active part in the lives of United States' citizens through the New Deal and the WWII era. In the 1930s, vice presidents began attending the President's Cabinet meetings and participating as members of the National Security Council. The vice president also serves on the Domestic Council in the executive branch.

World War II and the post-war era marked a distinct shift in the role of the vice president. For example, Vice President Richard Nixon went on several missions abroad for President Eisenhower; Walter Mondale became Jimmy Carter's close friend and trusted advisor; and Al Gore worked closely with Bill Clinton to modernize schools across the nation.

The Selection Process

By the election of 1800, it was clear that political parties were a key part of the American political system. The 12th Amendment established the current process for electing the president and the vice president by specifying that candidates for president and vice president would run together as a party ticket.

After the presidential candidate is decided, members of the presidential campaign confer and decide upon the vice presidential candidate. Once the nominee is selected, vice-presidential candidates campaign across the country in conjunction with the presidential candidates' campaign efforts. Today, the president and the vice president continue to run together as a party ticket. Furthermore, the Electoral College votes on a party ticket rather than electing the president and vice president separately.

Throughout most of the 20th century, the majority of presidential candidates have chosen vice presidential candidates to balance the ticket. The old rule of thumb about choosing a running mate was that the vice president had to bring the presidential candidate balance, both geographically and ideologically. For example, if the presidential candidate was a conservative from the Midwest, the vice presidential candidate ought to be a liberal from the South or Northeast.

Bill Clinton, however, went against the old selection rule. For his running mate in 1992, he chose Al Gore. A young, Southern, centrist Democrat candidate selected another young, centrist candidate from a Southern state. How did President Clinton win? He chose a candidate that brought no surprises.

In the past 10 years, there has been a modification to the old rule of thumb about running mates. The message is clear: Pick a running mate that cannot hurt you, and make a selection that enhances your position.

The Ever-Evolving Office

The lives and legacies of our country's vice presidents have been largely overlooked in the story of America. Nevertheless, the vice presidents—as individuals and as a group—are individuals full of passion and politics.

The story of the vice presidents is colored by interesting anecdotes, scandals, and political intrigue. Some vice presidents were confident and able, while others served in the office merely to fill the position. Each vice president brings a new element to the office. The trend of passive vice presidents of the 19th century has shifted. The vice presidents of the 20th century proved that the office of the vice president is important to the president's overall political agenda. One can only speculate as to how this office will evolve in the 21st century. Will vice presidents be household names like presidents George Washington and Abraham Lincoln? Will the vice president play more of a role in the Senate? Or will the office of the vice president revert back to its 19th century ceremonial position?

We invite you to explore this site and learn more about the fascinating group of individuals that have served our country as vice presidents. As you've seen already, there is much to be uncovered.

Read their stories. Incorporate their contributions into the saga of America. Speculate about their course for the new millennium.