Before the constitution was even written, two parties emerged vying for a direction for america. name them and their characteristics.

The two parties that emerged before the Constitution was even written were the Federalists and the anti-Federalists.

The Federalists were the party that supported the ratification of the Constitution, and tried to convince the states to ratify the document. The Federalists are known for publishing the "Federalists Papers." The authors of these essays were Alexander Hamilton, John Jay and James Madison.

On the other hand, the anti-Federalists opposed the ratification of the Constitution. They believed that this system did not protect individual rights. They also believed that a stronger central government would threaten the sovereignty of the states.