<P> Both parties originated in national politics, but soon expanded their efforts to gain supporters and voters in every state . The Federalists appealed to the business community, the Republicans to the planters and farmers . By 1796 politics in every state was nearly monopolized by the two parties, with party newspapers and caucuses becoming especially effective tools to mobilize voters . </P> <P> The Federalists promoted the financial system of Treasury Secretary Hamilton, which emphasized federal assumption of state debts, a tariff to pay off those debts, a national bank to facilitate financing, and encouragement of banking and manufacturing . The Republicans, based in the plantation South, opposed a strong executive power, were hostile to a standing army and navy, demanded a strict reading of the Constitutional powers of the federal government, and strongly opposed the Hamilton financial program . Perhaps even more important was foreign policy, where the Federalists favored Britain because of its political stability and its close ties to American trade, while the Republicans admired the French and the French Revolution . Jefferson was especially fearful that British aristocratic influences would undermine republicanism . Britain and France were at war from 1793--1815, with only one brief interruption . American policy was neutrality, with the federalists hostile to France, and the Republicans hostile to Britain . The Jay Treaty of 1794 marked the decisive mobilization of the two parties and their supporters in every state . President George Washington, while officially nonpartisan, generally supported the Federalists and that party made Washington their iconic hero . </P> <P> The First Party System ended during the Era of Good Feelings (1816--1824), as the Federalists shrank to a few isolated strongholds and the Democratic - Republicans lost unity . In 1824--28, as the Second Party System emerged, the Democratic - Republican Party split into the Jacksonian faction, which became the modern Democratic Party in the 1830s, and the Henry Clay faction, which was absorbed by Clay's Whig Party . </P> <P> Leading nationalists, George Washington, Alexander Hamilton and Benjamin Franklin (see Annapolis Convention), called the Constitutional Convention in 1787 . It drew up a new constitution that was submitted to state ratification conventions for approval . (The old Congress of the Confederation approved the process .) James Madison was the most prominent figure; he is often referred to as "the father of the Constitution ." </P>

How did the first party system lead to an amendment in the constitution