Final answer:
The claim that Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson looked after the common people's interests at the convention is false as Henry refused to attend, and Jefferson was in France at the time.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student's question about whether Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson looked after the interests of the common people at the convention can be answered as follows: Patrick Henry was known for his distrust of centralized governments, and he refused to participate in the Constitutional Convention, claiming he "smell[ed] a rat." While Thomas Jefferson, along with others, was involved in drafting the Declaration of Independence, he was in France during the Constitutional Convention. Thus, the statement is false as Patrick Henry did not attend the convention, and Thomas Jefferson was not present to actively look after the interests of the common people there. However, both Jefferson and James Madison were strong supporters of the rights of the common people, advocating for a government that worked for the majority and supported agricultural interests.