1. The constitution was written by wealthy, powerful elites who were mainly landowners and slaveholders who held majority of the political and economic power. There was a large population who were excluded such as, poor farmers, debtors, women and the enslaved. Due to the property requirements and legal restrictions at the time, voting or participating in the government in general, was not allowed.

2. Early U.S society was deeply divided by class. Power and influence was held by a wealthy, select few. Today, voting rights have expanded but economic class still shapes political influence, since wealthy individuals and corporations have more control and can alter policies as they see fit. People within this bracket also have access to individuals who are connected to those with political power. The gap between the rich and working class Americans still exist even if the barriers have shifted.

3. The farmers feared that a more democratic system would let the poorer majority pass laws that threatened the wealthy and their economic advantages. Events like ‘Shays Rebellion’ showed them that poor farmers could organize against taxes and foreclosures. Beard points out that the elite opposed debt relief or printed paper money because it would reduce their profits. To further protect themselves they built limitations into the system such as the Electoral College and an unelected supreme court so that working class citizens had less direct control.

1. The constitution was written by the wealthy and educated men. Most of them either land, slaves, or huge businesses. They all wanted to keep their money and power within themselves. Their goal was to create a government to protect their assets. Being in control of everything gave them power However people who were farmers, workers, women, and slaves weren’t included. They couldn’t even vote nor speak their minds. Farmers believed that the rich and educated were the only ones allowed to make important decisions in America.
2. In the earlier years, only rich white men had power and could vote. Poor people, women, people of color (poc) had no say in anything. In today’s society, all can vote and go to school. But the rich still holds more power. The more power and money you have, you can get what you want out of the government. Many working class still struggling to provide for their families. Even though we have better and fairer opportunities now But the rich still holds.
3. The farmers of the constitution were scared of giving too much power to the poor. They thought the non wealthy wasn’t educated enough to make big decisions. They believed the poor might vote to take the land from the rich. Which can lead to rebellion, so the poor farmers protested for better conditions.

1. The reading states that when choosing who would be included in the writing of the Constitution, they gravitated towards wealthy and powerful men. As for the class that was excluded from writing the constitution, those of the lower class were not permitted to be involved. People such as slaves, servants, men who could not vote, and women were not allowed to be present.

2. I would argue the social class of today has changed slightly as opposed to that of the early United States. We have grown more diverse in our classes, specifically higher class, in things such as gender, race, and sexual orientation. I believe the diversity is what sets today’s social class apart from the early United States, and even though social classes have a wealth inequality, the diverseness provides opportunity at the very least.

3. They feared for the spread of democracy because they did not believe the people had the ability to decide what is right. Alexander Hamilton says that there are two groups of people, those born rich and wealthy, and the others are the mass of the people. He did not view them capable of deciding matters in political affairs.

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?
The Constitution was written by a wealthy class made up of landowners, merchants, bankers, and slaveholders. They had money, property, and political power, which made them the only ones considered “qualified” to lead and make decisions. The excluded group was the rest of society which included poor farmers, debtors, artisans, indentured servants, women, Native Americans, and the enslaved. They weren’t allowed to participate because most states required property ownership to vote or hold office. In the passage Parenti says this limited voting to less than 10% of the adult population, and Beard explains how poor farmers and debtors were pushing for relief laws like printing paper money or stopping foreclosures, all of which the elites didn’t want in the Constitution.

2. Would you say that the social class structure of early United States society was the same as ours today, or different? Explain.
The class structure was fairly like today but not exactly. Wealthy groups like slaveholders, merchants, and creditors had the power to shape laws and government in their favor. Poor farmers and debtors, on the other hand, carried heavy taxes and often lost their land because they couldn’t pay back loans. In Charles Beards reading it points out how many farmers were in debt to speculators and creditors, while Parenti describes how some farm families were so poor they had to pull their own plows instead of using animals. Today, more people can vote, so it’s different, but it’s also similar because the wealthy still have the most influence in politics, just like elites did back then. Plus, many people today shy away from voting as they feel it doesn’t favor the lower classes and only the wealthy benefit just as back in the day. 

3. Why were the people who wrote the Constitution so afraid of democracy?
The elites feared democracy only because they thought poor farmers, debtors, and laborers would pass laws that took wealth away from the rich. for example Shays Rebellion showed this fear, since farmers in Massachusetts fought back against taxes and foreclosures, which scared property owners. It showed poor people could rise up and resist the system. Charles Beard explains that creditors and merchants wanted to stop laws that forgave debts or printed more paper money, because it would hurt their profits. To protect their own interests, the framers built limits into the Constitution, such as the Electoral College and the unelected Supreme Court, so that ordinary people would have less direct influence to the majority.

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.