The Constitution was primarily written by the economic elite, which included wealthy landowners and merchants, as emphasized by Michael Parenti and Charles Beard. Their primary motivations were driven by the need to protect their property and economic interests, and many of the framers had significant financial stakes.

The excluded class from the constitutional drafting process comprised individuals without substantial economic assets. This included women, slaves, and those without property. Unfortunately, these marginalized groups had limited influence, lacking political rights like voting for women and full citizenship for slaves.

Early U.S. society, as depicted by Parenti and Beard, was quite different from contemporary times. While economic disparities still exist, societal changes and democratic movements have led to a more inclusive system today.

The framers’ fear of democracy, as discussed by Parenti and Beard, can be attributed to safeguarding the economic advantages of the elite class. They believed that direct democracy might threaten their interests, prompting the design of a system with representative elements and checks and balances.

In summary, the economic elite shaped the Constitution, who excluded various social groups from the drafting process. Early U.S. social class structure differed from today’s, and the fear of democracy aimed to protect the economic interests of the elite.

• The wealthy upper class wrote the Constitution to maintain and grow their wealth. The working lower class was excluded and not allowed to participate. The difference between two classes is that the upper elite class owned properties and lands.
• I believe the social class system in early America was quite similar to what we have today. Although there are more chances for working people nowadays, women and marginalized groups still encounter obstacles in seeking fairness.The rich still take advantage of the working class, just like they did in the past.
• The people who wrote the Constitution were worried about democracy. They were afraid that if working class had too much say, they might make rules that helped them more, which will make rich people lose their control. At that time, most people were workers and didn’t have much money or power. If they had a big say in the government, they might push for better working conditions and higher pay, which could threaten the wealthy people who owned most of the businesses. So, instead of giving everyone equal power, they created a system where only elite class could make important decisions.

The social class that primarily wrote the Constitution was the elite, consisting of wealthy landowners, merchants, and lawyers. They held significant political and economic power, as seen in Reading 6.1, where Madison argues for a government that protects property rights. On the other hand, the excluded class was the working class, including farmers, laborers, and enslaved people. They were marginalized and lacked political representation, as highlighted in Reading 6.2, where Zinn discusses the struggles of ordinary people against elite rule.

The social class structure of early
United States society was different from ours today. In the past, the society was predominantly agrarian, with wealth and power
concentrated among landowning elites. Slavery also played a significant role, further stratifying society. Today, while wealth inequality persists,there are more diverse avenues to success, and social mobility is theoretically more achievable due to advancements in education, technology, and labor laws.

The framers of the Constitution feared democracy because they were concerned about the potential for majority rule to threaten their own interests and property rights.
The elite class, which held power during the drafting process, sought to establish a system of government that would protect their wealth and influence from being eroded by the will of the masses. They feared direct democracy, believing it could lead to mob rule and instability, as seen in their preference for a representative republic.

1:Faction reminds me of the concept of interest groups or political parties.

2:In Federalist #10, James Madison argues that the source of wealth (private property) is the diversity in the faculties of men, which refers to their abilities, skills, and talents.
Some people possess wealth by owning private property because they have the capability to acquire and manage it effectively, while others remain poor due to lacking these faculties.

3:I don’t express personal opinions, but this explanation aligns with Madison’s perspective on the origin of wealth and poverty.

4:The core mission or “first object” of the US government, according to the Federalist Papers, is to protect the rights of individuals and secure their property. This may sound different from the contemporary perception that emphasizes broader social welfare or governance objectives.

5:Federalist #10 supports a republican (representative) form of government over a pure democratic one because the author, like Madison, feared the tyranny of the majority. A pure democracy could lead to the domination of the majority faction over minority interests, potentially threatening the rights of property owners and perpetuating social inequality.

1) The Constitution’s authors were wealthy white landowners, while the lower class, including artisans, farmers, servants, women, and slaves, lacked representation and property.

2) Early society’s class structure is akin to today’s, where the elite wields influence, but now women and people of color have more political voice.

3) The Constitution’s writers feared democracy, worried it would undermine their power. They saw democracy as risky, fearing the loss of control to the common class. George Washington warned against letting commoners have too much say, fearing chaos and despotism.

1. We can see that the social class that wrote the constitution was the class of white men denominated also called gentlemen that owns large land making them powerful and respected. Since the rest of the population didn’t own enough to have a social influence and be respected, they were not excluded from this process. This part of the population was including all Native Americans, African descent, women, indentured servants, and White males lacking sufficient property 
2. the social class structure of early United States society, can approximately be seen as the same as ours today. There are being a lot of changes for the lower classes, women, African descent that have more rights and are more respected. But we can still see that a significant part of the country is still own and so indirectly ruled by the same social class as before.
3. he people who wrote the Constitution felt that democracy was the worst thing that could happen in politics access to government by ordinary people was unacceptable. They did think that the problems of the country were caused by the madness of democracy. They strongly believed that nothing should change that everyone should stay in their social classes so the low classes should have as little to do with the government as possible. The ruling class thought communities were divided in two. the rich and the well-born and the remainder of the population. That is why they were afraid of democracy and recommended a strong and centralized state power to counter the imprudence of democracy

1. The Constitution was primarily written by the wealthy and influential white upper class. They presented arguments for the creation of a new government that would make decisions in their self-interest, revise articles, and strengthen laws that would benefit them. The wealthy were strategically represented, while the lower class, including poor artisans, farmers, indentured servants, women, and slaves, had no representation. 

2. The wealthy capitalists are still exploiting their laborers and accumulating wealth, thereby holding a disproportionate amount of riches. Merchants are increasingly participating in political campaigns and voting. Social classes have evolved over time, and despite societal progress, the capitalist agenda has intensified, and the social class disparities that existed in the past are still present today. The wealthy elite still wield significant political influence, and politicians are usually wealthy themselves. 

3. The Constitution’s authors were aware of the dangers of a strong democratic government that could limit the power of the elite class they represented. They were also concerned about the potential impact of granting too much freedom to the common people. The writers of the Constitution feared the consequences that elections could have against their specific interest in the vote exercises. 

1. Based on the arguments presented in readings 6.1 and 6.2, the social class that wrote the constitution were the capitalist class. This class was believed to be smart and disciplined enough to stay rich while having innovative ideas. The class that were excluded from participating in the process were the working class. This class is believed to be the working class because of laziness or because they lacked knowledge which is why it was justified that they didn’t contribute to the constitution. Hence why the constitution only works for some and not for others. The “others” become the many in the society who don’t benefit, like Alexander Hamilton said “all communities divide themselves into the few and the many” (Parenti, page 8). 
2.  I think that the social class structure of early United States society was the same as ours today because I feel as though the constitution was very well thought out and it kept the structures of society as is. Of course there have been alterations to make it seem like things were changing but it is all essentially the same. For example, back then the oppressed were newly freed African Americans who didn’t land or any form of wealth. Today the oppressed are still the African Americans even though we don’t see it so obviously expressed. 
3. The people who wrote the constitution were afraid of democracy because they considered democracy to be the rule of the common people. Democracy meant that the common people would get involved with the government. This is bad because if the working class got too involved with the government, then they would also start being benefitted, this is the part that made the capitalist afraid. 

1. The upper class wrote the constitution. The constitution was against a democratic government. The class that was excluded was middle and working as well as under . The difference between upper class and under is people apart of the constitution were wealthy and owned property . Under class was excluded because they wouldn’t have nothing to offer such as money.
2. The social class structure of early United States society is different . I say this because inequality and racism in the past was evident. Women were not allowed to vote as well as some men. People were discriminated by their race or color and had disadvantages. For example education, healthcare and jobs . In society today , anyone can vote as long as your legal to and the same education is being provided for everyone .
3. The people who wrote the constitution were so afraid of democracy because the government and its laws would not be the same . If it was a democratic gov the people would have an input on how the constitution works . Making things equal and fair for everyone like themselves. The framers do not want that happening they want to stay superior.

1. 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.

• Based on both arguments in module six, “”Democracy for the Few” By Michael Parenti (Cengage, 2011), p. 5-12 and “An Economic Interpretation of the Constitution of the United States”, Chapter 2,  A Survey of the Economic Interests (edited excerpt) by Charles Beard, the social class that wrote the Constitution were white male landed proprietors, otherwise known as property- owning white males. This is shown on page 10 of “Democracy for the Few” By Michael Parenti,   Madison argued “The propertyless majority, as Madison pointed out in Federalist No. 10, must not be allowed to concert in common cause against the propertied class and its established social order.” I felt that this quoted argument most accurately perceives not only how the Founding Fathers viewed themselves in society but also how they excluded the working class from being able to be heard. 

2. Would say that the social class structure of early United States society was the same as ours today, or different? Explain.

• In my opinion, the social class structure of early United States society is similar to the current social class structure in a broader more general sense. Capitalists still exploit their workers, hoard wealth between the 1% and merchants are even more involved in political campaigns and voting. On the other hand, society has developed many classes in between the 1% and what was known then as the working class in the 1700s. As society has progressed, the capitalist agenda has heightened and the working class can be defined and perceived in extremely different ways. A doctor at Mount Sinai is a part of the working class as well as a food service worker at Chopt,  but how most people see those two types of work are extremely different and in return, has divided the working class into even more layers, with the goal being to be as close to capitalism as possible. 

3. 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.

• The people who wrote the Constitution were afraid of democracy because they were in fear of what would happen if the working class had the majority vote. They thought that if the working class had the majority vote, they would revolt and in return deny the capitalist class their ability to create and attain capital.