( CNN ) -- The man known for one of the most partisan practices in American politics had once quit government for a time because of partisanship . Elbridge Gerry was once an accomplished statesman devoted to his country , but nearly 200 years after his death , his legacy is overshadowed by the tactic that bears his name . It 's called `` gerrymandering , '' and it means redrawing congressional districts , often in odd shapes , for the sake of political gain . The term was coined after Gerry , as the Massachusetts governor , approved an obscure redistricting plan ahead of the 1812 elections that helped Republicans hold on to power in the legislature . The plan lumped many of the Federalists into one district , while giving his party , the Democrat-Republicans , the advantage in other districts . The Federal press ran a political cartoon calling attention to the salamander-like shape of one of the districts , and thus `` gerrymander '' was born into the political lexicon , according to his bio from the Senate Historical Office . Gerry 's partisan tendencies did n't sit well with his state , and he lost his 1812 re-election bid . While Gerry is best remembered for being the namesake behind the redistricting tactic , there were high points in his political career . Gerry , whose name is pronounced with a hard `` g '' unlike the term derived from it , was born in Marblehead , Massachusetts , in 1744 . He attended Harvard College and graduated with the class of '62 . He returned to Marblehead after graduation and by 1770 , he was becoming more active in the anti-British movement , according to his Senate bio . In 1772 , Gerry was elected to the legislature and later served in the Provincial Congress . He was later elected to the first and second Continental Congress , meetings with delegates from the 13 existing colonies . He was a signatory on the Declaration of Independence and the Articles of Confederation . Related : Lines drawn over census results . Gerry argued in support of the `` Great Compromise '' at the 1787 Constitutional Convention , according to his Senate bio . The Great Compromise yielded the current bicameral legislature with a House of Representatives and Senate . As the Constitution evolved , however , Gerry feared it would give too much power to what would be the Congress , so he refused to sign it . He viewed it more favorably after the Bill of Rights was added . In the years that followed , Gerry served in the first and second Congresses as a representative but became disenchanted with the partisan debates and retired after his second term , his Senate bio says . John Adams later appointed him as an envoy to France , and although Gerry believed he helped to avoid war , he was sharply criticized for his work . Emerging as Massachusetts ' Republican leader , Gerry served as governor twice and was defeated in his bid for a third term , clearing the way for his move to higher office . With the backing of the Republican caucus , President James Madison chose 67-year-old Gerry , a staunch supporter of the War of 1812 , to be his running mate . The pair were elected , but Gerry died 20 months after becoming the nation 's fifth vice president . Gerry was buried in the Congressional Cemetery . His epitaph displays one of his most well-known quotes : . `` It is the duty of every man , though he may have but one day to live , to devote that day to the good of his country . ''
`` Gerrymandering '' derived from Elbridge Gerry , former VP and Massachusetts governor . The term refers to redrawing legislative districts for political gain . It is a form of gerrymandering that has been used in the US since at least 1890 when it was first proposed by John Taylor ( who later became president ).