The Constitution's Blind Spots: A Discourse Analysis of Marginalization within the United States Constitution

The United States Constitution begins with the words "We the People,†yet several groups of people were overlooked as it was being crafted. The alienated populace felt that the governing constitution should reflect people of all sexes, genders, races, and nationalities, given the diversity of this nation. Although it took time and effort, the abolitionist and women's rights movements contributed to the formulation of the amendments that would extend constitutional rights to underrepresented groups. The purpose of this thesis is to look deeper at the phrases used in texts to uncover feelings and common themes that presented themselves in speeches and written documents by the marginalized groups.