What role did commercial interests and property rights play in the development of the U.S. Constitution?

A  Property rights and commercial concerns were of secondary importance. The framers of the U.S. Constitution were primarily interested in establishing a distinct political order based on principles of social equality and individual freedom.

B  It was understood that all contracts signed prior to the ratification of the U.S. Constitution would be voided. Property rights would be rewritten according to provisions found in state constitutions. Each state had discretion unilaterally uphold, or void, contracts within its territory.

C  The U.S. Constitution did not explicitly deal with commerce and property rights. Rather, its language was limited to the expansion of political equality and freedom to all Americans.

D  The framers of the U.S. Constitution could not find agreement with respect to property rights and commerce. Rather, they found common ground in their similar cultural, religious, and ethical conceptions of a just society.

E  The framers sought to develop a system where proprietors held a preponderance of political power. Protecting property rights and promoting various types of commerce were of central importance in their drafting of the U.S. Constitution.