- 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.
The constitution was written by wealthy white persons who owned property, according to Readings 6.1 and 6.2. The working class was not included in the Constitution-making process and was not permitted to take part. People who held property had to have assets worth more than what their state’s government was requesting. The elite class was favored to hold the majority vote and power of decision-making by those who drafted the Constitution. No one was permitted to have a meaningful voice in the creation of the constitution if they were not a man, white, and affluent. This implies that any type of less fortunate member of society was prohibited from taking part in the constitution-writing process.
- Would say that the social class structure of early United States society was the same as ours today, or different? Explain.
The social class structure in early American society was distinct from that in contemporary culture. This is due to the fact that today, regardless of the type of society you are in, whether it be the working class or upper class, we now have a voice. This doesn’t necessarily mean that our voice is heard, but it does mean that we are now able to speak up and make change happen, whereas in the early days of the United States, if you weren’t rich and white, you couldn’t vote.
- 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.
Since the thoughts of the ordinary man would directly become legislation, our founding fathers feared a direct democracy. Instead, they employed a “republic” or indirect democracy so that elected officials could speak for the views of the general populace.Democracy has recently been under fire for not providing adequate political stability. Democracy tends to result in frequent changes to both domestic and foreign policies because governments are constantly chosen and deselected.
