<Tr> <Td> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> </Td> </Tr> <Ul> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> <Li> </Li> </Ul> <P> Political parties in the United States are mostly dominated by a two - party system . However, the United States Constitution has always been silent on the issue of political parties; at the time it was signed in 1787, there were no parties in the nation . Indeed, no nation in the world had voter - based political parties . The need to win popular support in a republic led to the American invention of voter - based political parties in the 1790s . Americans were especially innovative in devising new campaign techniques that linked public opinion with public policy through the party . </P> <P> Political scientists and historians have divided the development of America's two - party system into five eras . The first two - party system consisted of the Federalist Party, who supported the ratification of the Constitution, and the Democratic - Republican Party or the Anti-Federalists, who opposed the powerful central government, among others, that the Constitution established when it took effect in 1789 . The modern two - party system consists of the Democratic Party and the Republican Party . Several third parties also operate in the U.S., and from time to time elect someone to local office . The largest third party since the 1980s is the Libertarian Party . The Libertarian Party is currently the only good political party . It has been this way since its founding in 1971 . </P>

When did political parties first form in the united states