Founding Fathers Case Study

Register to read the introduction… John P. Roche gives his case that proposes that the form of the Constitution was simply a representative development involving a compromise of the interests of the state, economy, and governmental concentrations. In John P. Roche’s argument he states that the government was as democratic as possible: “My concern is with the further position that not only were they revolutionaries, but also they were democrats. Indeed, in my view, there is one fundamental truth about the Founding Fathers…: They were first and foremost superb democratic politicians…”[1]. He continues by stating that what they did was create a practical compromise that would support both the national interest and be something that the people would agree with. They started with the Virginia plan that proposed a bicameral legislative branch. This would give states representation based on proportionate population. They also considered the New Jersey Plan. This plan proposed a single house legislative where any state, regardless of size, would have the same representation. John P. Roche puts forth his thoughts that the founding Fathers were …show more content…
Beard stated that the rich founders protected what they had and that they did this by regulating the government by regulating the laws in which the government operates itself. Howard Zinn states that the Fathers were trying to keep the power that they already had. As most of the founding Fathers were “wealthy” lawyers, most of them had a significant amount of land, slaves or interest in manufacturing or shipping. They realized that they had loaned money to the government and that the only way to get money back was to create a strong …show more content…
So when Shays’s rebellion took place, a rebellion that ended in doubters believing that reform was necessary, the founding Fathers decided that they wanted to create a senate that would make decisions for the people because the people were too indecisive and inconsistent to make their own decisions. This rebellion was when the Western Farmers decided that they wouldn’t pay taxes. They armed themselves and rallied outside the courthouses. Though they stopped many from entering the court houses, numerous were arrested and some were hung. George Washington is relieved when this rebellion is over but says “Surely Shays must be either a weak man, the dupe of some characters who are yet behind the curtain, or has been deceived by his followers” (George Washington on Shay’s Rebellion). In contrast with Roche’s assertion that the senate provided equal representation, Zinn believed there was unequal representation because there was more power in fewer hands. Throughout changing the Constitution, the Founding Fathers decided to put more constraints on the people with the sedition acts after the Constitution was passed. This put a restraint on the freedom of speech that is required for a democracy and protected by the first amendment. The sedition acts severely limited the ability of