In 1848 he was attacked and stabbed multiple times by Francis H. While he began his career as a Whig, he would later serve as both a Democrat and a Constitutional Unionist.Īmerica 101: Why Do We Have a Two-Party System?Ī frail and sickly man who only weighed around 100 pounds, Stephens was nevertheless a political force, and by the mid-1840s he became a leading Southern statesman.

Stephens was a strong supporter of states’ rights and regularly switched political parties whenever he felt they drifted too far from his principles. He would go on to win reelection seven consecutive times, serving consistently until 1859. The two would remain political allies for the rest of their careers. During this time Stephens fostered what would become a lifelong friendship with Robert Toombs, a fellow Georgia assemblyman. He served in this position until 1841 and was then elected to the Georgia Senate the following year. Stephens first entered politics in 1836, when he won a seat in the Georgia House of Representatives. His small size earned him the nickname “Little Aleck,” which followed him throughout his career.

After an unhappy stint as a schoolteacher, he studied law and then served as a successful defense lawyer in Crawfordville starting in 1834.ĭid you know? Alexander Stephens, vice president of the Confederacy during the American Civil War, suffered from numerous ailments during his lifetime and often weighed less than 100 pounds. Stephens then attended Franklin College and graduated in 1832. He grew up destitute and was raised by relatives after both his parents died by the time he was 14.

Alexander Stephens: Early Life and Political CareerĪlexander Stephens was born in Crawfordville, Georgia, on February 11, 1812.

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