The Constitution: A White Man's Game

The US Constitution, drafted in 1788, was written exclusively by rich white men, and the rights and liberties it enshrined were meant only for white men of property. The Founding Fathers never imagined that women, African Americans (both slave and free), or men without property could be the equal of the propertied white men entrusted with participation in the civic arena. This interpretation of the Constitution is at odds with the Declaration of Independence, which declared that all men are created equal. Despite this, Blacks were mostly enslaved until the Civil War in the 1860s and had few civil rights for another century after that, Native Americans were not declared citizens until 1924, and women were not allowed to vote until 1920.

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The US Constitution was written exclusively by white men

The Constitution's promise to "secure the blessings of liberty" to the American people was, therefore, limited to a very specific demographic. This is reflected in the fact that the majority of the first seven presidents of the United States were rich, propertied, white men, many of whom owned slaves. For example, George Washington, the first president, owned over 300 slaves and forbade them from learning to read or write. Similarly, Thomas Jefferson, the chief author of the Declaration of Independence, which asserted that "all men are created equal," owned slaves and did not believe that women, African Americans, or men without property deserved the same rights as propertied white men.

The Constitution's failure to extend equal rights to all citizens was further perpetuated by the 14th Amendment, which was passed in 1868 to grant citizenship and extend liberties and rights to formerly enslaved people. However, it did not succeed in protecting the rights of Black citizens, and it took a determined struggle by Black and White citizens, through petitions, court cases, and legislation, to begin to make the promise of the 14th Amendment a reality.

The legacy of the Constitution being written exclusively by white men has had a lasting impact on the country's history and continues to shape discussions around equality and civil rights today.

The Founding Fathers believed only white men deserved rights

The US Constitution was written exclusively by white men, and it was designed to give rights and power only to propertied white men. The Founding Fathers never imagined that women, African Americans (both slave and free), or men without property could be the equal of propertied white men. This is despite the Declaration of Independence declaring that "all men are created equal".

The Founding Fathers were mostly rich, white men. The first seven presidents of the United States, many of whom were involved in the founding of the country, were all white. George Washington, the first president, was a Virginia plantation owner who owned over 300 slaves. Thomas Jefferson, the chief author of the Declaration of Independence, was a slave owner. James Madison, considered the chief author of the US Constitution, owned over 100 slaves and wrote the Three-Fifths Compromise, which reduced taxes for wealthy slave owners. James Monroe, another Virginia plantation owner and the fifth president, owned about 75 slaves.

The Naturalization Act of 1790 stipulated that only "free white persons" could become citizens, excluding non-white men of non-African descent. Native Americans were not declared citizens until 1924, and women were not allowed to vote until 1920. The 14th Amendment, passed in 1868, extended liberties and rights granted by the Bill of Rights to formerly enslaved people, but it failed to protect the rights of Black citizens.

The Constitution was meant to secure the blessings of liberty to propertied white men

The US Constitution was written by white men, for white men. The Founding Fathers, many of whom were rich landowners and slave owners, did not believe that women, African Americans (both slave and free), or men without property could be the equal of propertied white men.

The Constitution, written nearly 300 years ago, purported to "secure the blessings of liberty" to the American people. However, the rights and liberties it outlined were meant only for a select few. Non-white men of non-African descent were also excluded, as the Naturalization Act of 1790 stipulated that only "free white persons" could become citizens.

The first seven presidents of the United States, most of whom were involved in the country's founding, were all white men. George Washington, the first president, was a Virginia plantation owner who owned over 300 slaves. The fourth president, James Madison, considered the chief author of the Constitution, owned over 100 slaves and authored the Three-Fifths Compromise, which reduced taxes for wealthy slave owners. The fifth president, James Monroe, owned about 75 slaves and did not believe they could become productive citizens.

It was not until the 14th Amendment, passed in 1868 after the Civil War, that liberties and rights granted by the Bill of Rights were extended to formerly enslaved people. The 14th Amendment also granted citizenship to "All persons born or naturalized in the United States." However, it failed to protect the rights of Black citizens effectively, and it was not until the 20th century that the arguments and dissenting opinions of citizens began to form the basis for meaningful change.

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The Constitution excluded women, African Americans, and men without property

The U.S. Constitution, written in 1788, was intended to ""secure the blessings of liberty" to the American people. However, the rights and liberties it bestowed were exclusively for white men of property. The Founding Fathers, including Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, James Monroe, and Andrew Jackson, did not believe that women, African Americans (both enslaved and free), or men without property were equal to propertied white men. This exclusionary mindset extended beyond the Constitution, with Congress stipulating in the Naturalization Act of 1790 that only "free white persons" could become citizens.

The early leaders of the country were predominantly wealthy white men, many of whom owned slaves and opposed racial equality. For example, James Madison, the fourth president and considered the chief author of the Constitution, owned over 100 slaves and authored the Three-Fifths Compromise, which reduced taxes for slave owners. Similarly, James Monroe, the fifth president and another Virginia plantation owner, owned about 75 slaves and did not view them as capable of becoming productive citizens. The first president, George Washington, was a Virginia plantation owner who owned over 300 slaves and forbade his slaves from interacting with free blacks.

The exclusion of women, African Americans, and men without property from the Constitution's protections was not rectified until later amendments and legal challenges. The 14th Amendment, passed in 1868 after the Civil War, extended liberties and rights granted by the Bill of Rights to formerly enslaved people and granted citizenship to "all persons born or naturalized in the United States." However, it failed to protect the rights of Black citizens effectively, leading to a determined struggle by Black and White citizens to make the promise of the 14th Amendment a reality. It was not until 1924 that Native Americans were declared citizens, and women did not gain the right to vote until 1920.

The Constitution's original failure to recognize the equality of all people, regardless of race or gender, has had lasting consequences. It took centuries of legal challenges, legislative actions, and social movements to begin addressing these injustices and work towards a more inclusive and equitable society. While amendments have been made to extend the Constitution's reach, the original document's legacy continues to shape the country's legal and social landscape.

The Naturalization Act of 1790 stipulated that only free white persons could become citizens

The US Constitution was written exclusively by white men, and it was intended to give rights and power only to white men of property. The Founding Fathers never imagined that women, African Americans (both slave and free), or men without property could be the equal of propertied white men. Non-white men who were not of African descent were also excluded. This was codified in the Naturalization Act of 1790, which stipulated that only "free white persons" could become citizens. The Act set the first uniform rules for granting US citizenship by naturalization and established standards and procedures by which immigrants could become US citizens.

The Act specified that any "free white person" who had resided within the United States for two years and within their state of residence for one year could apply for citizenship by filing a Petition for Naturalization with "any common law court of record" having jurisdiction over their residence. Once the court was convinced of the applicant's "good character", the applicant would take an oath of allegiance to support the Constitution of the United States, and their children under the age of 21 would also be naturalized.

The courts also associated whiteness with Christianity, and so Muslim immigrants were excluded from citizenship until the decision Ex Parte Mohriez in 1944. The Act was repealed and superseded by the Naturalization Act of 1795, which extended the residence requirement to five years and required a three-year application period. Further changes to racial eligibility for citizenship were made in the 19th century following the American Civil War, and in the 20th century with the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924.

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