Based on readings 6.1 and 6.2, it’s pretty clear that the Constitution was written by members of the wealthy, propertied class. These were landowners, slaveholders, merchants, creditors, and investors are basically people who had major economic power. In 6.1 it explains how the delegates at the Constitutional Convention were mostly wealthy “gentlemen” who wanted a stronger central government to protect property and financial interests. In reading 6.2, it shows that most of the framers had economic interest in land, public securities, manufacturing and or trade. This makes it obvious that the upper, capitalist class had control over the writing of the Constitution. On the other hand, the class that was excluded was the working and propertyless class. This included small farmers in debt, laborers, indentured servants, enslaved people, women, and men who did not meet property requirements to vote. In the reading 6.2 these group of people where called the, “disenfranchised”, meaning they had no political voice. In the reading 6.2, he explains that only property-owning White males could vote in most states, which was a very small percentage of the population. Therefore the difference between the two classes is basically wealth and property. The wealthy class owned land, businesses, and investments and had political power. The lower class lacked property, were often in debt, and were shut out of decision-making.
I would say it’s both similar and different. It’s different in the sense that today, everyone over 18 can vote regardless of property, race, or gender, which was not true in the 1700s. Back then, voting was limited mostly to property-owning White men. So politically, we are more democratic now. However, the class structure itself is still similar in some ways. There is still a divide between the wealthy class and the working class. In early America, small farmers were heavily in debt and struggling while creditors and land speculators had economic power. Today, there still is economic inequality, student debt, housing struggles, and corporations having major influence over politics. Wealthy people and large businesses still shape laws through campaign donations and lobbying. Even though voting rights expanded, economic power still creates unequal political influence, just like it did in the past.
The people who wrote the Constitution were afraid of democracy because they feared majority rule would threaten the wealthy minority. From a class perspective, they were worried that the propertyless majority, especially poor farmers and debtors, would use political power to cancel debts, redistribute property and more. Events like Shays’ Rebellion showed them that lower-class citizens were willing to rise up against economic injustice. Their fear wasn’t only about chaos, it was mostly about protecting wealth. They believed democracy could allow the lower class to overpower the upper class. It would simply threaten the economic interests of the wealthy class who were writing the Constitution in the first place.
The constitution was written by the upper class which are people who owned property, money, or businesses. The classes that was excluded was mostly lower class which included people like farmers, slaves and labor workers.
it was different, in early America slavery was legal, poorer people had no political power or less education and women had no rights and , less careers. Versus today everyone can wrote, there are more equal rights and education and slavery is illegal.
they were afraid the lower class would gain political power with things like raising taxes or canceling debts. In early America and today power people were the majority which gives them control, which is why they. Created a system to control power and property.
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.
Would say that the social class structure of early United States society, was the same as ours today, or different? Explain.
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.
