JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground

HTML

<ul class="nav nav-tabs">
    <li><a href="#divArea1" data-toggle="tab">div1<i class="fa"></i></a>
    </li>
    <li><a href="#divArea2" data-toggle="tab">div2 <i class="fa"></i></a>
    </li>
</ul>

<button class="btn btn-default clickme">Click</button>

CSS

.active { background-color: red; }

JavaScript

$(document).ready(function () {
    $('.clickme').click(function () {
        $('.nav-tabs li:first').addClass('active');
    });
});