Why using weak typing array for Vector, ArrayList and the whole Java collection framework

Question

I am wondering why didn't the Vector api (as well as others) choose to use strong typing for its underlying array like the code below ? why using week typing Object ? isn't it better with strong typing as the type safety is resolved in compile time ?

public class Vector<E> {
    private static final initialCapacity = 2;
    protected E[] elementData;

    private Vector(Class<E> c) {
        @SuppressWarnings("unchecked")
        final E[] elementData = (E[]) Array.newInstance(c, initialCapacity);
    }   
}

Answer 1

Vector, ArrayList, and the whole collections framework was written before generics were a thing in the first place. They didn't really have an alternative at that point, and it had to be left that way for backwards compatibility.