Election 1974

Leading up to 1794, Philadelphia was a city that was ahead of the curve in accordance with the establishment of fractions in the United States. Political figures were representing the two emerging parties of the time: Federalists and Democratic-Republicans. From 1790-1800, Philadelphia was the nation’s capital and was the center for the foundation of the opposing political fractions. The Founding Fathers set the stage for men like Thomas Fitzsimons and John Swanwick to emerge and run for presidency. There were issues that our country was facing during the late 1700s and they surfaced in the political center of Philadelphia. Some of these issues correlated with the founding of the First National Bank of America. James Hamilton’s ideas were greatly supported by Federalists such as Thomas Fitzimons whom also advocated for a strong centralized government, implementation of excise taxes, and a broad interpretation of the Constitution. Initially, John Swanwick supported the Federalist policies of Alexander Hamilton, however, by 1793 he had become a Democratic- Republican due to his opposition to the excise taxes. Democratic-Republicans also favored a centralized government with limited powers, a strict interpretation of the Constitution, and the opposition to Hamilton’s ideas of a national bank. When evaluating the election between Swanwick and Fitzsimons there are four factors to consider: the candidates, the issue, the campaign, and the voters. Among some of the influences of this presidential race was the emergence of the yellow fever. America was in a critical period in which it was testing out new waters to try to create a foundation for a government that would serve the people. After the Articles of Confederation fell through, politicians were looking to prove that they had what it took to create a central government that can protect the peoples’ rights and preserve order and independence. The culmination of all these different factors lead to John Swanwick’s...