I Have a Few Questions

[Laurie Verge]

I think that most of the colonists started out somewhat equal in terms of economic levels upon migrating to America. However, by the time that the Constitution was being framed, nearly two hundred years had passed; therefore, there were definitely established classes of people along economic and educational lines at least. There were at least three class distinctions within every area by the Revolution.

Each of the new states sent representatives to the Constitutional Convention, and it is probably safe to assume that higher economic and education levels were among the qualifications of those who framed the final document. They also came from a variety of areas with differing wants and demands that had developed over two hundred years - based on climate, religion, culture, etc. as mentioned before. It was bound to create squabbles.

That said, because I know this is leading again to the slavery issue, why didn't they solve the question of slavery while framing the Constitution??? I can't answer for them, but I believe it is because they HAD to get the document RATIFIED by a MAJORITY of the states in order to get the guidelines established for a functioning government. The original Articles of Confederation hadn't been working.

They had to know that trying to eliminate slavery at that point would not get a majority of the states to ratify the Constitution. So, tip-toe past the bone of contention, pretty much maintain the status quo, get the document into effect, and let future representatives, elected by the people, figure out how to solve the problem. As we know, that strategy didn't work - but at least we got a written system of government out of their project. You can't play the game until you know the established rules.