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.

1. The Constitution was written by the wealthy elite. Those who owned large amounts of land, ran businesses, or were involved in banking and trade. This group had a lot of influence and wanted to make sure the new government protected their wealth and property. For example, Charles Beard explains that many of the people who wrote the Constitution were creditors and landowners who wanted laws to secure their investments. On the other hand, the “disenfranchised” class included enslaved people, indentured servants, propertyless men, women, and small farmers. They had no say in the creation of the Constitution because they didn’t own property or meet the qualifications needed to vote. Michael Parenti highlights that less than 10% of the adult population could actually participate in the political process during that time​. These groups were deliberately left out because the framers saw them as a threat to their own power and economic stability.
2. The social class structure in early American society was quite different from what it is today. Back then, only wealthy, property-owning White men had political power. The majority such as slaves, women, and those without property couldn’t vote or participate in government at all​. This created a strict divide between those who had power and those who didn’t. Today, while everyone (in theory) has the right to vote and participate in politics, wealth and property still play a major role in influencing power. Wealthy individuals and corporations can impact political decisions through lobbying and campaign contributions. So while the class structure isn’t as legally rigid as it was back then, economic power still creates a gap between the wealthy and the rest of society.
3. The people who wrote the Constitution were worried that too much democracy would allow the poor majority to pass laws that could hurt their own economic interests. They saw democracy as a potential threat to their wealth and property. For example, James Madison talked about the danger of “leveling impulses” from the masses—that is, the idea that poorer people might try to pass laws that would take away wealth from the rich. Charles Beard also points out that the framers built many safeguards into the Constitution to limit the influence of ordinary people. Things like the Electoral College and having Senators chosen by state legislatures were designed to keep decision-making power out of the hands of the general public. This fear of democracy was really about protecting the economic interests of the wealthy elite and making sure the lower classes couldn’t disrupt their hold on 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.
2. Would say that the social class structure of early United States society, was the same as ours today, or different? Explain.
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.