1. Based on both readings, the social class that wrote the constitution was mainly the wealthy or owning class. These were the people who owned large amounts of land, were creditors, merchants, manufacturers, or had other forms of property and wealth. The class that was mostly excluded was the working and propertyless class, which also included people who were disenfranchised, like enslaved people, women, indentured servants, and poor white men who did not own enough property to vote. The difference between the two classes was that the wealthy owning class had property and wealth. They wanted to protect themselves, while many working people struggled with taxes and debt and had little political power because of it. An example from the reading is the conflict between creditors and small farmers. Many small farmers were in debt and supported laws that would give debtors relief, while creditors wanted stronger laws to ensure they were paid back. Because of this, the two classes had different economic interests and viewed the new constitution differently.
  2. I would say the social class structure of early United States society is very similar to our society today. Obviously, there are differences because society has changed since then, especially in terms of who has the right to vote and participate politically, but I think the overall divide between the wealthy and working class still exists. In the reading, Beard describes a society where certain groups owned large amounts of land, businesses, securities, and other forms of wealth, while many working people and small farmers struggled with debt and had much less economic and political power. I think today we still see a similar divide, especially when you think back to our earlier readings about wealth and equality and how much wealth is concentrated among the top 1%. Even though there are different circumstances today, there’s still a large gap between people who own significant wealth and those who mainly depend on working for their Income.
  3. The people who wrote the constitution were afraid of democracy because they were worried about giving too much political power to the majority, which was mostly made up of working and poorer people. When it comes to social class, the people writing the constitution were mainly from the wealthy and property owning class, so they had money and property they wanted to protect. If everyone had more political power, the working and propertyless class could vote based on their own needs and support things like debt relief and other policies that could go against the interests of the wealthy. Clearly, the wealthy class feared giving the majority too much power because they were afraid of what could happen to their economic power.

One thought on “Justin LeGendre – Discussion Board 6.1”

  1. Hi Justin,

    I really agree with your point in Question 2 about the lasting divide between the wealthy class and the working class.

    You mentioned the gap between the top 1% and people who work for their income, and we see that economic hierarchy clearly today with basic necessities like healthcare. Millions of everyday working people still struggle to afford decent insurance, medical care, and stable opportunities while carrying the bulk of the tax burden. Just as Beard and Parenti showed how the Framers designed the system to protect elite wealth, today’s policies still prioritize corporate profits over the fundamental needs of the majority.

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