Most of the feuding you're referring to followed the American Revolution, taking place in the 1790s. The Federalists and Republicans formed as the first political parties in the United States federalists typically supported a larger federal government, a national bank, and followed Alexander Hamilton. Republicans believed in states' rights, did not support a national bank, and followed Thomas Jefferson. Going further back, federalists initially supported the adoption of the Constitution to replace the failing Articles of Confederation. Republicans, or antifederalists formed simply to oppose the Constitution because they feared the new government, with more power, would take away rights and freedoms.