The interpretation of A and B differs in terms of the evidence analyzed. A specific piece of evidence to support A is the Constitutional Convention, while evidence for B could be the economic and social backgrounds of the framers of the Constitution.
Interpretation A portrays the generation that brought forth the American Revolution and made the Constitution as politically inventive, constructive, and creative. According to this interpretation, the Americans institutionalized principles such as the idea that men make government, the concept that government is limited by the laws of Nature and Nature's God, and the theory of equality. This interpretation suggests that the constitutional convention was a mechanism satisfying logical requirements based on philosophical mandates.
One specific piece of historical evidence supporting Interpretation A is the Constitutional Convention itself, held in Philadelphia in 1787. During this convention, delegates, including notable figures like James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, engaged in intense debates and negotiations to draft the United States Constitution. The debates and compromises during the Constitutional Convention reflect a creative and inventive process in forming the foundational document of the new nation.
Interpretation B, on the other hand, challenges the notion that the Constitution was a product of the entire population. It argues that the Constitution was not "ordained and established" by "the people" as a whole but rather by a small, educated, wealthy elite representing powerful economic interests. This interpretation asserts that the masses of people did not significantly participate in the adoption of the Constitution, and it suggests that the elite had disproportionate skills and political influence in the process.
One specific piece of historical evidence supporting Interpretation B could be the economic and social backgrounds of the framers of the Constitution. Many of the individuals involved in the drafting and ratification of the Constitution belonged to the economic elite of the time. For example, a number of them were landowners, merchants, and individuals with significant financial interests. Examining the social and economic backgrounds of the framers lends support to the idea that the Constitution had a degree of economic influence and was not necessarily a product of a broad, popular mass movement.
In summary, Interpretation A emphasizes the political inventiveness and creativity of the generation behind the Constitution, while Interpretation B challenges the idea that the Constitution was a product of broad popular participation, highlighting the role of a small, educated, and wealthy elite.