The word “disenfranchised” means being deprived of rights, including the right to vote or fully participate in the political process. This term can also refer to those who are excluded from power and benefits within a society, such as poor or landless individuals, women (before suffrage), African Americans and other racial minorities (especially before the Civil Rights Movement), immigrants, and working-class individuals who did not meet property or tax qualifications. Many disenfranchised people were unable to vote or participate in politics because of property ownership requirements. Certain groups, like women and racial minorities, were excluded due to societal biases and legal barriers. In this context, the disenfranchised could also refer to the working or laboring classes.

1.based on the arguments in readings 6.1 and 6.2 i noticed that social class haven’t changed as much as we expected . In 1787 times were more excluded and people were only seen of value or “worthy of power” if they had property and due to those times economic inequalities and the exploitation of slaves the right to vote was divided into 2 parts .The low income or working class at the time were described as slaves,servants,men with no property, and even women ; this people with economic disadvantages were taken away the right to vote because they “didn’t have talent of getting rich”. On the other hand the social class that were allowed to participate were the upper class “capitalist” before capitalist even existed .Men who had property were seen like the master minds and the only people who had a right to have a say on the process of writing the constitution .

2.In my opinion times have changed of course due to many equality movements in the past leading to women no longer being excluded or seen as less .In the other hand, society haven’t changed as a whole because we can all agree that upper class or capitalist have a bigger say in the country specially when it comes to politics for example in my opinion the special interest groups have a bigger impact in the united states than voters .

3. Generally ,The people who wrote the constitution were afraid of democracy because they were afraid that the people with lower intellectual economic abilities will have an opinion meaning they no longer could get exploited and manipulated into thinking they’re less .Also Real property holders economy relied on slavery and the only way for them to stay economically stable was to manipulate and explode the “working class or lower income “ meaning those people with economic disadvantages like slaves,women,men with no property , and etc..

1. Based on the arguments presented in Readings 6.1 and 6.2, which social class wrote the Constitution, and which class was excluded and not allowed to participate in this process? In your comment, make sure you clearly specify the difference between the two classes by giving examples from the readings.

The Constitution was written by the wealthy elite, such as landowners and merchants, who wanted to protect their interests. The working class, including farmers and laborers, was largely excluded from the process and had no real influence.

2.Would say that the social class structure of early United States society, was the same as ours today, or different? Explain.

Honestly, the social class structure has changed a lot since then. Back in early America, you had a strict divide between the rich and the poor. Nowadays, there’s a larger middle class and more opportunities for people to move up, but we still deal with wealth inequality. So, while we’ve made some type of progress, the gap between the wealthy and everyone else is still a big issue.

3.Why were the people who wrote the Constitution so afraid of democracy? Hint: think about how to answer this question by discussing it in terms of social classes.

The people who wrote the constitution that were afraid of democracy because they thought giving too much power to an average person could threaten their wealth and status. They worried about “mob rule,” where the majority could overpower the elite. So, they created a system with checks and balances to make sure their interests were protected, reflecting their fear of losing control.

1. Based on the arguments presented in Readings 6.1 and 6.2, which social class wrote the Constitution, and which class was excluded and not allowed to participate in this process? In your comment, make sure you clearly specify the difference between the two classes by giving examples from the readings. The framers of the Constitution were predominantly wealthy men, including figures like James Madison, Alexander Hamilton, and George Washington. Or otherwise known as the founding fathers. These individuals had a vested interest in creating a government that would safeguard their economic interests and property rights. For instance, Hamilton’s Federalist Papers explicitly argue for a strong central government to stabilize the economy and protect commercial interests, reflecting the priorities of the elite. The process of drafting and ratifying the Constitution largely excluded those without property, including the poor, landless individuals, and women. The framers believed that only those who had a stake in the economic system i.e. property owners—should have a voice in government.

2. Would say that the social class structure of early United States society, was the same as ours today, or different? Explain. Both periods feature significant wealth inequality. In early America, a small elite owned most of the land and resources, while the majority struggled with poverty. Today, wealth is also concentrated among a small percentage of the population, with the top 1% holding a significant portion of the nation’s wealth. Early society was predominantly white and male, reflecting the exclusion of various racial and ethnic groups. Today’s society is more diverse, with ongoing struggles for representation and equality among different racial, ethnic, and gender groups.

3. Why were the people who wrote the Constitution so afraid of democracy? Hint: think about how to answer this question by discussing it in terms of social classes. The framers of the Constitution were concerned about democracy primarily because they feared that unchecked popular rule could lead to mob rule and instability, which they believed would threaten their social and economic interests. the framers  fear of democracy stemmed from their desire to protect their social class interests and maintain stability in a fledgling nation. They believed that a government should be run by educated elites who could make rational decisions, rather than by the masses, who they feared might act on impulse and disrupt the social order. This perspective shaped the structure of the constitution and the political landscape that followed.

1. Based on the readings, the Constitution was primarily written by and for the wealthy elite class of early American society, including large landowners, merchants, bankers, and other men of property and means. This group, described as “gentlemen,” were creditors interested in protecting their possessions and economic interests. Examples include wealthy men who owned vast land grants and estates and merchants and bankers controlling commerce and industry. In contrast, the class excluded from participating in the constitutional process encompassed small farmers, artisans, tenants, laborers, indentured servants, women, African Americans (both enslaved and free), Native Americans, and white males without sufficient property. One of the main reasons why these working-class poor people could not be a part of writing the Constitution is that they didn’t have the privilege to take four months off of work to go to Philadelphia. So, “The debate between haves and have-nots never took place.”

2. The social class structure of early US society appears to have been more stark and rigid compared to today. However, there are noticeable similarities between early US society and today’s US society regarding social class structure. Reading 5.1 shows that “By 1700, three-fourths of the acreage in New York belonged to fewer than a dozen persons. In the interior of Virginia, seven individuals owned over 1.7 million acres. By 1760, fewer than five hundred men in five colonial cities controlled
most of the commerce, shipping, banking, mining, and manufacturing on the eastern seaboard.” A similar situation can still be witnessed in our society. If we compare this with reading 5.2 from last week where it says, “The top 1 percent own between 40 and 50 percent of the nation’s total wealth (stocks, bonds, investment funds, land, natural resources, business assets, and so on), more than the combined wealth of the bottom 90 percent. True, about 40 percent of families own some stocks or bonds, but almost all have investments of less than $2,000. Considering their debts and mortgages, 90 percent of American families have little or no net assets.” Indeed, society has improved today compared to the early US in terms of equal rights, slavery, and property requirements for voting. But it is also true that even today, the wealthy class possesses the power to influence politics to maintain their status and wealth and create more opportunities for themselves where most Americans suffer to meet necessities. Based on that, I would say that, for the most part, the social class structure of early United States society was the same as ours today.

3. The framers of the Constitution deeply feared democracy, primarily due to their concerns about protecting the interests of the wealthy class from the demands of the poorer majority. This is evident in James Madison’s writings in Federalist No. 10, where he states that “the most common and durable source of faction has been the various and unequal distribution of property.” Madison and his peers were worried about how to “secure the public good and private rights against the danger of such a faction, and at the same time preserve the spirit and form of popular government.” The readings argue that their fear of democracy was fundamentally rooted in class interests. They deliberately designed a system to protect their property and economic privileges from potential redistribution or debt relief measures that a truly democratic system might enact. Their goal was to maintain the existing social and economic hierarchy while providing just enough of the appearance of popular governance to secure legitimacy.

1.The Constitution was written by the upper class/middle class which means the wealthy, the ones that own land and property of their own/ property holders. Lower class weren’t allowed to be part of the process. 

2.The social class structure of early U.S society was different from now . Back then, everything and everyone were divided by groups . Lower class , middle class , high class . People weren’t allowed to vote only for certain people. Today , we have the right to vote no matter what class levels you are in and people have more opportunities.

3.Constitution we’re afraid of democracy because they were worried that lower class might team up and gain to much power. 

1. Based on the arguments presented in Readings 6.1 and 6.2, which social class wrote the Constitution, and which class was excluded and not allowed to participate in this process? In your comment, make sure you clearly specify the difference between the two classes by giving examples from the readings.

According to the readings 6.1 and 6.2 the social class who wrote the Constitution were the elite class—white male who were wealthy landowners, merchants, and politicians who aimed to protect their interests. The lower class was excluded. These were the nonwhites, poor farmers, women, enslaved people (slaves and indentured servants). They didn’t have political rights and wealth, and they were not represented properly. Many men were disenfranchised due to property requirements, and women, nonwhites and enslaved people (slaves and indentured servants) didn’t have voting rights at all.

2. Would say that the social class structure of early United States society, was the same as ours today, or different? Explain.

In my opinion, the social class structure of early American society was very different from today class structure. Many individuals, such as enslaved people (slaves and indentured servants), women, and men without property, were legally excluded from voting and didn’t have political representation. The elite class was mostly composed of wealthy landowners and merchants, and today’s structure has layers like the upper, middle, and working classes. Additionally, today there is much more awareness for social justice, which almost did not exist in early America.

3. Why were the people who wrote the Constitution so afraid of democracy? Hint: think about how to answer this question by discussing it in terms of social classes.

The people who wrote of the Constitution (mostly wealthy and influential white men) were afraid of democracy because they thought the masses (especially the poor) would threaten their property and economic interests by challenging their authority and rebel against them. The founding fathers wished to create a government that is democratic is also protected against uncontrolled majority power.

1. From reading the article I believe the upper middle class wrote the constitution. Most of the middle upper class people owned land and they were interested in protecting their property while also protecting their wealth and resources from the lower class which excluded them from receiving the same benefits the upper middle class receive.
2. In my opinion I feel like it’s different from how it was in the past because in the past everything was dominated by people who were wealthy and owned land and if you weren’t wealthy then you were considered a lower class and you wouldn’t get the same benefits. Now we have opportunities to become wealthy by getting our education or starting a business.
3. I believe they feared democracy because they felt worried about the lower class becoming wealthy and threatening their property because in their eyes it would cause class conflict.

1. The constitution was crafted by the rich elite, the proprietors, the politicians, the merchants, the traders, and others. The lower class, such as the small farmers or laborers, was left out of the process. The elite crafted the Constitution to protect the elitist interests of power and wealth.

2. Social stratification in the early days of the United States is differed from today’s, but there is a certain similarity. During the formation of the political system in early America, political power was firmly in the hands of the wealthy owners of the land. Today, there is an enhanced opportunity for broader segments of society to engage in decision-making through government, but this still remains in the hands of the rich through political economy.

3. The writers despised democracy because they believed that the lowest ordinary bracket in society should not be empowered. They feared the people might take actions that would jeopardize their capital and investments. This fear of the lower classes is evident in the design of the Constitution, which restricted direct democracy as a form of governance.