In early America, what was required for someone to be able to vote?
Which social class did most people belong to in early America?
What was Madison’s goal in writing “Federalist #10”?
Why were the people who wrote the Constitution so afraid of democracy? This is an important point that we will discuss in our discussion board next.
What were some of the reasons why the Constitution never abolished the slave trade?
In early America, only white men who were at least 21 years old, had property, and were citizens of the United States were usually eligible to vote. Native Americans, women, and other racial minorities were typically not allowed to vote, however certain states did permit free black men to do so under specific restrictions. Voters in some jurisdictions had to pay a poll tax or fulfill religious requirements, and property ownership was a crucial prerequisite. Due to these limitations, only a select, privileged group of people were able to vote.
The working or lower class comprised the majority of individuals in early America, including farmers, laborers, and craftspeople. A smaller percentage of the population was made up of the wealthier landowners, merchants, and elite people, while the majority of people lived in rural areas and worked on farms.
In Federalist Number 10, Madison argued that the best way to manage factions and keep any one group from acquiring too much power would be to establish a big, diversified republic. Because a vast republic would contain a range of interests, he thought it would be more difficult for any one side to dominate, resulting in more equal representation and greater stability.
Since pure democracy could result in mob rule or the tyranny of the majority, when minority groups rights and interests could be disregarded or violated, the framers of the Constitution were cautions about it. Their exposure to the unpredictability and chaos of popular uprisings, such as Shay’s Rebellion, had an impact on many of them. They created a system of representative democracy with checks and balances to guarantee that power would be balanced and regulated because they felt that a strong, stable government was necessary to avert anarchy. They sought to avoid the possible risks of popular control while establishing a government that upheld individual liberties.
The main reason the Constitution never outlawed the slave trade was because of political concession made to win over Southern states, whose economies depended heavily on slavery. Fearing it would hurt their economic interests, many Southern delegates vowed to reject the Constitution if it contained a clause requiring the immediate abolition of the slave trade. Thus, the framers made a concession by permitting the slave trade to go on for another 20 years, until 1808, when congress was granted the authority to outlaw it. In particular, the Southern states would not have accepted the Constitution otherwise, therefore this compromise was essential to its adoption.
