Framing the Constitution
Elise Takahama
10-3-14
Period 3
Article Review: Framing the Constitution by Charles A. Beard
In Charles A. Beard’s article, “Framing the Constitution,” he suggested that there is a dichotomy between the values of the Constitution and those of the Declaration of Independence, who believed that the Constitution was a document that was only created to protect the framers’ wealth. He articulated that the reason rich framers wanted to protect against majority rule was to prevent the majority from overthrowing the rich. His purpose was to examine the circumstances and conflicting goals and ideals of the time, and how they were resolved and agreed upon in the Constitution. His analysis was very persuasive, as it effectively argued that importance of the circumstances at hand, as well as comprehensive, in that in articulates the issues and solutions of the time.
There are two sides. One includes the supporters of the values of the Constitution and the other supports the values of the Declaration of Independence. At the time, popular opinions, held by Samuel Adams, Thomas Paine, Patrick Henry, and Thomas Jefferson, were not generally supported by real business experts or money. They “pushed to the extreme limits through doctrines of individual rights,” meaning that they pushed more for personal liberty then societal rights. This shocked me, since I never even considered the fact that the “immaculate” framers of the Constitution could be driven by mainly selfish purposes. Jefferson, for example, is famous for his rational, innate sense of justice and it’s odd to think he could not be restrained from wrong.
10-3-14
Period 3
Article Review: Framing the Constitution by Charles A. Beard
In Charles A. Beard’s article, “Framing the Constitution,” he suggested that there is a dichotomy between the values of the Constitution and those of the Declaration of Independence, who believed that the Constitution was a document that was only created to protect the framers’ wealth. He articulated that the reason rich framers wanted to protect against majority rule was to prevent the majority from overthrowing the rich. His purpose was to examine the circumstances and conflicting goals and ideals of the time, and how they were resolved and agreed upon in the Constitution. His analysis was very persuasive, as it effectively argued that importance of the circumstances at hand, as well as comprehensive, in that in articulates the issues and solutions of the time.
There are two sides. One includes the supporters of the values of the Constitution and the other supports the values of the Declaration of Independence. At the time, popular opinions, held by Samuel Adams, Thomas Paine, Patrick Henry, and Thomas Jefferson, were not generally supported by real business experts or money. They “pushed to the extreme limits through doctrines of individual rights,” meaning that they pushed more for personal liberty then societal rights. This shocked me, since I never even considered the fact that the “immaculate” framers of the Constitution could be driven by mainly selfish purposes. Jefferson, for example, is famous for his rational, innate sense of justice and it’s odd to think he could not be restrained from wrong.