<Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> <P> There have been 48 Vice Presidents of the United States since the office came into existence in 1789 . Originally, the Vice President was the person who received the second most votes for President of the United States in the Electoral College . However, in the election of 1800, a tie in the electoral college between Thomas Jefferson and Aaron Burr led to the selection of the President by the House of Representatives . To prevent such an event from happening again, the Twelfth Amendment was added to the Constitution, creating the current system where electors cast a separate ballot for the vice presidency . </P> <P> The United States Constitution assigns few powers or duties to the vice president . The Vice President's primary function is to succeed to the presidency if the President dies, resigns, or is impeached and removed from office . Nine vice presidents have ascended to the presidency in this way: eight through the president's death, and one, Gerald Ford, through the president's resignation . In addition, the Vice President serves as the President of the Senate and may choose to cast a tie - breaking vote on decisions made by the Senate . Vice presidents have exercised this latter power to varying extents over the years . </P>

How many vice presidents of the united states have there been