After the American Revolution, there were party disagreements. Federalists, like Adams, disagreed with Anti-Federalists, represented by Jefferson. The hatchets were buried during the Monroe administrations. Between 1815 and 1825, Americans got along so well that the decade became known as the “Era of Good Feelings”.
That stopped when Adams got support from Henry Clay in Congress to put Adams in the Presidency after a close election with Jackson. Adams then appointed Clay Secretary of State. Jacksonians were outraged because they believed Adams had sold the office of Secretary of State to Clay for his vote.
The “Era of Good Feelings” was over.
Jackson, on being elected four years later, quickly closed the national bank and did everything he could to undermine the self-serving government that had been growing. Those whose incomes were threatened by his reduction of government power became a political party at endless odds with those who supported only that funding which was allowed by The Constitution.
From that time to this, there have been two active parties in the United States. One Party does everything it can to facilitate the involuntary transfer of money to its supporters. The Other Party tries to stop them.
The parties are not accurately described as “Republican” and “Democrat”. The two parties are better termed “Tax Addicted” and “Private Property”. As we begin to divide politicians according to those terms, we find it’s a quick way to analyze the kind of person each is.