1. Based on Readings 6.1 and 6.2, the Constitution was mainly written by wealthy upper-class men such as bankers, landowners, slaveholders, and creditors. These were people who owned property and had economic power. The lower class was mostly excluded from the process, including poor farmers, workers, women, enslaved people, Native Americans, and even many white men without property. The readings explain that only property-owning White males could really participate in politics at that time.

2.I think early U.S. society was different from today because back then many people could not vote or participate in government at all. Today everyone legally has voting rights, but social class still matters because wealthy people and corporations continue to have more influence in politics.

3. The people who wrote the Constitution were afraid of democracy because they feared the lower classes would gain power and threaten the wealth and property of the upper class. Events like Shays’ Rebellion scared them because poor farmers were protesting debt and taxes. They wanted a stronger government that could protect the interests of wealthy property owners.

1. The people who had the most influence when the Constitution was being created were mainly wealthy individuals like big landowners, business people, bankers, and slaveholders. A lot of them had money tied up in property or government investments, so they had a strong reason to create a system that protected their wealth. Because of that, they supported a stronger central government that could keep things stable and secure their financial interests. Meanwhile, most everyday people weren’t really included in the process at all. This included small farmers in debt, workers, servants, enslaved people, and women. Since voting and holding office were mostly limited to white men with property, a huge part of the population had no real say in how the government was set up.

2. The way classes were divided back then is kind of similar to today, but also different in some ways. In early America, it was very clear who had power—the rich controlled land, politics, and businesses, while most people were just trying to get by. Today, things look more advanced, but there’s still a noticeable gap between the wealthy and everyone else. A small group still holds a lot of money and influence, especially when it comes to politics and the economy. The difference now is that more people have basic rights, like voting regardless of gender or race, and there are more chances for people to improve their situation compared to the 1700s.

3. A lot of the wealthy people who helped create the Constitution didn’t fully trust giving too much power to the general public. They were worried that if regular people had too much control, they might push for changes that would hurt the rich, like canceling debts or redistributing wealth. Situations like Shays’ Rebellion, where struggling farmers pushed back against economic hardship, made these fears even stronger. Because of this, they built a system that limits direct control by the majority. Things like the Electoral College, the original way Senators were chosen, and the system of checks and balances were all put in place to prevent sudden changes and to help protect the interests of those with wealth.

1. The wealthy owning class mostly wrote the Constitution. This group includes rich landowners, merchants, bankers, slaveholders, and investors with great economic power. Many delegates to the Constitutional Convention held property, businesses, or shares in the government. They wanted to build a powerful national government that would safeguard property and financial interests. The working and propertyless populations were mostly excluded from the process. This consisted of indebted small farmers, laborers, indentured servants, slaves, women, and the vast majority of the population without property. Many of these groups were unable to vote or hold office since voting privileges were only granted to property-owning white men. As a result, those who drafted the Constitution did not reflect a large portion of the population.
2. The class system was similar in some ways, but also unique. In early America, there was an obvious difference between rich landowners and the rest of society. Wealthy elites dominated politics, land, and commerce, while the majority of people were farmers, workers, or laborers who struggled financially. Today, the system is more modern, but there are still major gaps between wealthy elites and the working class. Wealth remains concentrated within a small group of people with significant influence over the economy and politics. However, there are greater legal rights today, such as voting rights for women and minorities, and more prospects for advancement in society than in the 1700s.
3. The wealthy founders were concerned that too much democracy would enable the majority of those in need to challenge the rich’s wealth and power. Many of them feared that if ordinary people had too much political power, they would demand measures such as debt relief, property redistribution, or economic reforms that endangered elite interests. Events like Shays’ Rebellion, in which poor farmers protested economic conditions, made wealthier elites concerned about lower-class uprisings. Because of this anxiety, the Constitution was meant to limit direct democracy by providing institutions like the Electoral College, the Senate (which was not initially directly elected), and checks and balances, which helped protect the interests of property owners and rich elites.

1.Based on the readings, the Constitution was mainly written by wealthy property owners—large landowners, merchants, creditors, and slaveholders. Many of them had direct economic interests in land, trade, public debt, and slavery. For example, creditors wanted a strong national government to make sure debts were paid, and slaveholders wanted protection for slavery and social order. Other way, poor farmers, laborers, women, enslaved people, Native Americans, and white men without property were excluded. Many of them could not vote and had no real representation. Small farmers supported debt relief and paper money, but the Constitution limited those policies. This clearly shows that the wealthy class had power, while the lower class did not.

2.It was very different in terms of political rights. In 1787, voting depended on property ownership, and many groups were excluded. Today, legally, everyone has the right to vote regardless of property, race, or gender. However, I think there is still a similarity. Wealth still influences politics. Rich individuals and corporations have more political power than ordinary people. So even though the system is more democratic today, economic inequality still affects political power.

3.They were afraid of democracy because they feared the majority—especially poor and propertyless people—would threaten their wealth. Many ordinary people were in debt, and events like Shays’ Rebellion showed that they were willing to challenge creditors. From a class perspective, the wealthy minority wanted to protect property and social order. That is why the Constitution created limits on direct democracy, such as the Electoral College and indirect elections. In my opinion, they did not completely reject democracy, but they wanted to control it.

1. Based on readings 6.1 an 6.2, the people who wrote the Constitution were mostly from the wealthy upper class. Many of them were landowners, merchants, and investors who had a lot of property and money. They had the power to take part in writing the Constitution because of this. For example, Beard explains that many of the framers owned government bonds, so they supported a stronger government that would make sure debts were paid back. The lower class people were mostly excluded from this process. Farmers, workers, women and people without property did not have a voice or a choice in writing the Constitution. Parenti also states that in early America, only property-owning white men were usually allowed to vote, which meant that most people didn’t have much political power.
2. The social class structure in early United States society was different from today. In the past, political power was connected to wealth and property. Many groups of people could not vote or participate in government. Today, more people have the right to vote and be involved in things like politics regardless of of their wealth. However, the readings do suggest that economic power can still influence politics today, so social class can still play a role in political influence today.
3. The people who wrote the Constitution were afraid of too much democracy because they thought that if poor people had a lot of political power, they might vote for laws that mainly helped themselves financially. For example, they might support laws that forgave debts or took property from wealthy people. Many of the framers were wealthy property owners and because of this, they wanted to protect their money and their land. They created a government system that limited direct democracy and gave more control to elected representatives instead of letting people vote on everything directly.

1. The Constitution was mainly written by wealthy property-owning elites who included merchants bankers creditors and large landowners and slaveholding planters according to the readings. The men who possessed economic power required a national government that would protect their property rights and enforce their contractual agreements and ensure economic stability. The excluded classes included slaves, indentured servants, women, Native Americans, and many poor White men without property. These groups could not vote or hold office and were not represented at the Constitutional Convention.
2. The social class structure of that time period differed from the social class system which exists today. The political rights of the 1700s restricted voting to White men who owned property. Women and enslaved people and poor men were excluded from voting and government. Today all adults can vote because they do not face restrictions based on their wealth or race or gender. The two systems maintain some resemblance because economic inequality persists while wealthy individuals continue to shape political outcomes.
3. The Constitution writers feared democracy since they believed the poor majority would endanger the property rights of wealthy citizens. The wealthy landowners and creditors feared the small farmers and debtors who demanded laws to decrease their debts and distribute their assets. Shays’ Rebellion and other events created greater public fears. The Constitution established checks and balances and indirect elections systems to restrict direct majority authority while safeguarding property rights.

1. According to readings 6.1 and 6.2, the Constitution was primarily created by the rich elite who owned properties, including large landowners, merchants, lawyers, and creditors who sought a strong government to protect their properties. On the other hand, the poor or the lower classes of people, including the small farmers, laborers, and debtors, were excluded from the process of the Constitution.

2. The social class structure of early United States society was different from ours today, although some inequalities still existed. Early United States politics were dominated by the rich property-owning males, who were mostly landowners, merchants, and creditors, while, women, slaves, Native Americans, and poor males who were not property owners were excluded. Today’s United States politics allows for the political rights of all citizens to vote regardless of property, race, or gender.

3. The people who wrote the Constitution were afraid of democracy because they thought that the lower classes, like small farmers, laborers, and debtors, would have too much power and pass laws to threatened the wealth of the upper class. Many of the people who wrote the Constitution were landowners, merchants, and creditors who thought that the majority would support debt relief and higher taxes on the rich. Therefore, the Constitution was written to protect the interests of the elite and restrict the power of the majority.

“Disenfranchised” means deprived of rights or privileges, especially the right to vote or participate in political decisions. The “Disenfranchised” were typically poor farmers, laborers, debtors, and working-class individuals who lacked property and political power. Common factors included economic hardship, little or no property ownership, debt, and limited political influence. Their class membership is clear because they owned property, businesses, investments, and financial assets, meaning they controlled wealth and the means of production rather than selling their labor for wages.

1- Based on Readings 6.1 and 6.2, the Constitution was mainly written by members of the wealthy and property-owning class. These were large landowners, merchants, creditors, slaveholders, and people who owned public securities. They had economic interests in protecting property, contracts, trade, and investments. For example, Beard explains that many delegates were connected to real property, money lending, manufacturing, and shipping. Parenti also shows that the Constitution protected creditors and investors, especially through strong federal powers over taxation, contracts, and debt. The class that was excluded was the propertyless majority, or what we would call the working class. This included small farmers in debt, laborers, indentured servants, women, enslaved people, and most men without property. They were “disenfranchised,” meaning they could not vote or participate in politics. Parenti explains that in most states, only white men with property could vote, which was a small percentage of the population. So the Constitution was written by the propertied elite, while the lower economic classes had no real voice in the process.

2- I think it was different in some ways, but also similar in others. It was different because in 1787 political power was directly connected to property. If you did not own property, you usually could not vote. Large parts of the population, including women and enslaved people, were completely excluded from political participation. Today, legally, everyone has the right to vote regardless of property, race, or gender. However, it is also similar because economic inequality still exists, and wealth still gives people more influence in politics. Just like Beard described how creditors and investors supported a strong national government to protect their interests, today wealthy individuals and corporations still have a lot of political influence. So while the system is more democratic today, class differences still matter.

3- The framers were afraid of democracy because they feared that the propertyless majority would use political power against the wealthy class. Both Parenti and Beard show that many small farmers and debtors were demanding things like paper money, debt relief, or laws that helped borrowers instead of creditors. Events like Shays’ Rebellion made the elite nervous about popular uprisings. From a class perspective, democracy meant giving more power to people who did not own much property. The wealthy feared that a majority of poor citizens might vote to cancel debts, redistribute property, or weaken the rights of creditors. That is why the Constitution includes many limits on direct democracy, such as the Electoral College, indirect election of senators (at first), life-appointed Supreme Court justices, and a difficult amendment process. These structures helped protect the interests of the propertied class from sudden popular majorities.