1.The Constitution was written mainly by wealthy white men who owned property, many of whom were merchants, lawyers, bankers, and plantation owners. This group made up the upper class of early American society. They had money, land, and power, and they wanted to design a system of government that protected their property and privileges. On the other hand, poor farmers, laborers, women, Indigenous people, and enslaved Africans were excluded from the process. They did not have the right to vote or to take part in the debates, and their voices were not represented in the final document. For example, Reading 6.1 explains that propertyless men were denied political participation, while Reading 6.2 points out that wealthy elites had the most influence in shaping the government.

2.The class structure in the early United States was both similar and different compared to today. Just like now, there was a clear divide between rich and poor, and the wealthy had much more control over politics. However, the differences were sharper in the past because only property-owning men could vote or hold office. Today, more groups are legally included in the political system, even if inequalities still exist in practice.

3. The men who wrote the Constitution were afraid of democracy because they did not trust the lower classes. They worried that farmers, debtors, and laborers would use their voting power to pass laws that threatened the property and wealth of the elite. To protect themselves, the framers created a system with checks and balances, the Electoral College, and limits on who could participate in government. In other words, their fear of democracy was really a fear of losing control over their social and economic advantages.