Answer:
The men who wrote the Constitution understood that enslaved persons would not be citizens.
Step-by-step explanation:
In this excerpt, Taney argues that the Framers of the Constitution were extremely educated, accomplished and clever men. He also argues that due to this education, the Framers were able to see what the role of African people was, and that they believed they would not be citizens. Taney argues that the Framers were also basing their decision on the status that African people had in other countries. In these other countries, Taney argues that, "by common consent," they were excluded from "civilized governments."