I do not really agree with Beard. It seems like the framers really did do a good job at protecting the rights of average citizens. Especially considering how long the constitution has lasted and how much changed in regard to everyday life has since then. They did an incredible job at making the constitution a long lasting and effective document. Beard was the opposite of Roche. I think that they wrote these documents as a debate, and that Roche most likely won. There is more evidence to support his theories, especially since we can see how well the constitution has worked since its creation. Also there were many members of the Constitutional Conventions who were not wealthy land owners and there were many wealthy men who opposed the Constitution. Because of this, I would say that Beard was most likely mistaken.
BibliographyWoll, Peter. American Government: Readings and Cases. 16th ed. New York: Pearson Longman, 2006.
You May Also Find These Documents Helpful
-
2. Beard opened my eyes to a new view of the framers and the constitution. It is unlikely that I would have analyzed the document in such depth. However, if I had it is even more unlikely that I would have unveiled the selfish motives of the framers, or the fact that their government was imperfect from the beginning.…
- 342 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
In the book A Brilliant Solution Inventing The American Constitution, Mrs. Berkins stresses about the convention, that the years after the American revolution were very hard times in our nation, how the Articles of Confederation were being fixed by the invention of the American constitution. The states celebrated their freedom, however did not have a developed government to maintain control of the states. Within the first decade of the creation of the Constitution the government had problems with economics, military, and state laws. Throughout the book this problems are resolved little by little, by how well the government tends to the troubles and how they relate to each state. The government had to go through many hardships in order to have…
- 147 Words
- 1 Page
Satisfactory Essays -
In the book “A Brilliant Solution: Inventing the American Constitution” by Carol Berkin she explains the constitution from start to finish from how it all began, to the debates inside the convention and finally the end product. Berkin takes the reader and puts him directly in the middle of the convention of 1786; throughout the book you can feel the excitement, the frustration, the tensions between delegates and the overall commitment to making a new government work for all.…
- 1012 Words
- 5 Pages
Good Essays -
i. Commager supports his thesis by naming the two problems that the Constitution worked to fix, the problem of federalism and how to use laws to keep power of different branches of government in check.…
- 389 Words
- 2 Pages
Satisfactory Essays -
In the article, Framing the Constitution, Charles Beard had a very strong opinion on the Constitution and the motives of the framers. He believed that this document was written by the rich landowners, creditors, merchants, public bondholders, and lawyers, whose motives were to protect their wealth and property. Beard said that the reason the framers were against having majority rule was because they didn't want the majority to "overthrow" the rich framers of the time. This critical and different opinion of the Constitution and its framers is contrary to most modern belief. The framers had the "best minds" and mainly advocated the idea of "self-government". The idea of federalism in a republic was an innovative system.…
- 426 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
During the years 1786 and 1787 a series of protests erupted from american farmers against the Government named Shays Rebellion. The farmers were angry at state and local taxes where they developed debts. This event, although not a big threat, raised concern over the Articles of Confederation, and later be brought up with the establishment of the constitution. Despite the ease of stopping Daniel Shay and his followers, the rebellion questioned both the state and national government power. This issue would remain a prominent issue when the framers were crafting the constitution. The Founding Fathers feared that giving states too much power would cause them to disregard the federal government; and if the feds had too much power, it would be seen as tyranny. The last thing they wanted was to be like Great Britain, ruled under an oppressive king. Therefore, the framers…
- 467 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
Charles Beard’s article, Framing the Constitution, alleges the members of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia were “disinterested” in providing basic rights for citizens. He stated that the framers of the Constitution of the United States were only concerned in improving their own economic well–being and personal agendas. Therefore, providing information of the events that led up to the Philadelphia Convention and an overview of the Constitution will dismiss his statements, and state his article was a self-serving, conspiracy theory.…
- 780 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
“It is almost exactly true to say they framed it, and it is altogether true to say they fairly represented the opinion and sentiment of the whole nation at that time.” Lincoln shaped his views on American government on the consent of the governed. The Founders made necessary concessions to create a perpetual union. The values expressed in the Constitution reflected the will of the people.…
- 444 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
As Roche presents in his essay, the talent apparent in the constitutionalist that met in Philadelphia was superior amongst other groups, which Roche concludes as an advantage. The fundamental need for an ardent group has been a key component of the formation of the United States, acting as the composers of the prosperous future. Roche may consider this formation an advantage due to the authenticity presented, as their reluctance to divert “original” ambitions to pursue an unpremeditated approach of government (Roche 15). The ascendancy they asserted was within reason as the conditions under the Articles and in 1787 presented the need for a convention, likewise promoting the ratification of the Constitution. Of the defects presented in the time…
- 657 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
The writing of the U.S Constitution generated many concerns over the amount of power to be allowed in the Federal Government. Political parties of Federalists and Antifederalists formed, sparking debate over the issue. As Federalists supported the proposed U.S Constitution, Antifederalists supported the government formed under the Articles of Confederation. Federalists felt that a strong central government would give protection to public and private credit. Many large landowners, judges, lawyers, leading clergymen, political figures, and merchants were in favor of ratifying the U.S Constitution. James Madison writes in Federalist Papers #10, “Complaints are everywhere heard from our most considerate and virtuous citizens, equally the friends of public and private faith and public of personal liberty, that our governments are too unstable” (Doc. A). Congressmen such as Madison strongly supported a stronger Federal Government. The existing government under the Articles of Confederation needed to be altered to ensure more control over the states. Federalists believed that if change wasn’t made the nation would fail. “Either the…
- 1101 Words
- 5 Pages
Powerful Essays -
These historians do not believe Charles Beard's thesis and try to disprove his thoughts and prove that the supports did not write the Constitution for their own interest. In a chart, which shows the Delegates that were at the Constitution Convention. The Delegates on this chart are people having public security holdings, who are people from all different backgrounds. The Delegates mostly signed the Constitution were not all wealthy landowners looking out for them. There was some small farmer in that group, who would never sign the document to benefit the rich. In other chart on the Delegates to the New York State Ratifying Convention shows that there was a mixes of people with different economic status voting for the Ratifying Convention. Also the people who voted were Federal and Anti-Federal that voted Federal, plus lawyers did not vote for it and those would be the kind of people to want…
- 799 Words
- 4 Pages
Good Essays -
The Framers of the American Constitution were visionaries. They designed our Constitution to endure. They sought not only to address the specific challenges facing the nation during their lifetimes, but to establish the foundational principles that would sustain and guide the nation into an always uncertain future. The "Founding Fathers" included two major groups. The Signers of the Declaration of Independence signed the United States Declaration of Independence in 1776.…
- 448 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
The Framers of the Constitution did not really represent the American people. Also known as the country's Founding Fathers, these men from the original states were responsible for many important decisions. However, they did not represent America’s people because they only represented the Elite leaders, they represented the ideas for America's government, and they did not have a true democracy.…
- 500 Words
- 2 Pages
Good Essays -
From the beginning of his essay, Charles Beard claims that the essence of his argument “is not revealed by an examination of its [the Constitution’s] provisions” (Beard, 152) but rather by prior statements from the framers. The centerpiece of Beard’s argument is that “the overwhelming majority of members [writers]… were economic beneficiaries from the constitution” (Beard 149) who gave themselves the power to “make an economic gain through government functioning.” (Beard, 154-155) Beard attempts to support this claim by citing facts about the “economic interests” and…
- 584 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays -
People didnt want a Constitution and believed that things were just fine the way they were and everything should be left alone. In Document 2 we see that Mercy Otis Warren was an opponent. He had fear that the Constitution would threaten the rights of conscience and liberty of press. Patrick Henry was also against ratifying the Constitution. In Document 4, he says that a Constitution would endanger the rights and privileges that the people had and they would lose sovereignty, the freedom from an external control. In Document 5, Amos Singletree also opposed the ratification of the Constitution. But he doesn’t only fear the possible threat of people’s rights, he, being poor, was afraid that only rich learned men would be able to have power, and will have total rule over the poor…
- 629 Words
- 3 Pages
Good Essays