the 2 party system in American politics began with the federalists (hamilton) and democratic republicans (jefferson)
i don't want to answer this essay for you, so i'll give you things to consider:
-the revolution of 1800 (peaceful transition from federalists to democratic republicans)
-"death" of the federalist party in 1815 (hartford convention)
-single party --> democratic republicans, though lost ideals meant that the party was a mesh of people
-Democratic Party = Andrew Jackson, 1828
-Whigs (Anti-Jackson) = Daniel Webster, Henry Clay, 1833
-Republican Party (combination of Whigs and members of the Free Soil Party) = Lincoln was primary spokesman (though not at first, his election gave a face to the party), 1854
