Do you think that any of the 17 amendments of the Constitution, subsequent to the first 10 (which became the Bill of Rights,) should also come under the auspices of "The Bill of Rights?"?

Many of the Founders would object to many of the 17 amendments. Allowing blacks and women to vote? Are you crazy?

This is why it is good people die. Civilization needs to weed out that kind of thinking.

@filmfann, did you know that John Quincy Adams worked to end slavery. William Livingston, a signer of the Constitution and then-Governor of New Jersey was a vocal opponent to slavery. New York John Jay, the first Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court and President of the Continental Congress, was president of an anti-slavery society in New York. Most of the Founding Fathers opposed slavery. Read about Benjamin Rush and John Adam’s views on slavery. George Washington inherited his slaves and ordered them to be set them free upon his death. During the Revolution, every slave who fought, with the exception of slaves in Georgia and South Carolina, won their freedom. Did you know Virginia tried to end the slave trade in 1773 but Britain wouldn’t allow it to happen?

I am very familiar with the attitudes of the time. Political opinions and positions were as polarized then as they are now. That is why the 2nd amendment is so non-specific.

@bkcunningham What does their opinion on slavery have to do with their opinion on whether black people should be allowed to vote?

@glacial, slavery was a fact during that period of history. I was trying to show that not all the American founders were against rights for Blacks. I see your point though. I suppose I read @filmfann‘s response and took it as a negative against the Founders in that he was saying they were racists and woman haters. Neither of which are true.

I suppose I should have rather pointed out that free Blacks did vote in most northern states and in Virginia, North Carolina, and South Carolina. Maryland didsn’t restrict the Black vote until the early 1800s. North Carolina prohibited Blacks from voting in 1835. Prior to that, free Blacks were citizens and voted. Massachusetts gave Blacks the right to vote and hold office prior to the American Revolution and never turned back the laws.

In addition to all of this, the majority of our founders were opposed to slavery.

Possibly, but the Bill of Rights is a historical concept and it should not be altered.

Even though many of the founding fathers were against slavery, they didn’t believe that colored people should have the same rights as white men with property. I doubt that any of them would want equal rights for women or even granting non-landowners the right to vote. The whole purpose of the Electoral College was to have a group of “privileged white men” oversee the popular election. They have the power to overrule the popular election because the common people can’t be trusted to make the right decision for president.