Malcolm Rivera
The Three-Fifths Compromise, or the Three-Fifths Clause, was a highly contentious issue at the 1787 Constitutional Convention. The Compromise stated that for the purposes of representation in Congress, enslaved Black people in a state would be counted as three-fifths of the number of white inhabitants of that state. This was a compromise between the Northern states, who did not want slaves to be counted at all, and the Southern states, who wanted each slave to count as a full person. This clause was part of a series of compromises enacted by the Constitutional Convention of 1787, including the prohibition of slavery in the Northwest Territories and the ending of U.S. participation in the international slave trade in 1807.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What the Constitution mentions | The Constitution mentions that slaves would be counted as three-fifths of a person, not three-fourths. |
| Who proposed the three-fifths compromise | Delegate James Wilson, seconded by Charles Pinckney |
| Who opposed the three-fifths compromise | Delegates opposed to slavery, Northern states |
| Who supported the three-fifths compromise | Delegates supportive of slavery, Southern states |
| Reason for opposition | Slaves should not be considered persons in determining representation but could be included in taxation |
| Reason for support | Slaves should be considered persons in determining representation |
| Outcome of the three-fifths compromise | Gave Southern states more power in the House of Representatives and reinforced slavery |
| Impact on free Black people | Free Black people were not subject to the three-fifths compromise and were counted as one full person for representation |
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What You'll Learn
The Three-Fifths Compromise
The Southern states wanted each slave to count as a full person, whereas the Northern states did not want them to be counted at all. The Southern states argued that slaves should be considered persons in determining representation but wanted them considered property if the new government were to levy taxes on the states based on population. The Northern states, on the other hand, wanted to count only free persons, including free blacks in the North and South.
The compromise counted three-fifths of each state's slave population toward that state's total population for the purpose of apportioning the House of Representatives, effectively giving the Southern states more power in the House relative to the Northern states. It also gave slaveholders similarly enlarged powers in Southern legislatures. This was an issue in the secession of West Virginia from Virginia in 1863. Free black people and indentured servants were not subject to the compromise and were counted as one full person for representation.
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Northern vs Southern states
The Three-Fifths Compromise, or the Three-Fifths Clause, was a highly contentious issue between the Northern and Southern states during the 1787 Constitutional Convention. The Compromise was proposed by delegate James Wilson and seconded by Charles Pinckney of South Carolina. The Southern states, where slavery was prevalent, wanted their entire slave population to be counted as they would gain more members of Congress. This would also increase their representation in the House of Representatives and the Electoral College.
The Northern states, on the other hand, opposed slavery and wanted to exclude the slave population from the count, arguing that slaves had no voting rights and should not be considered persons. The Northern delegates proposed that only free inhabitants be counted for representation. This position was supported by Elbridge Gerry, who questioned why "blacks, who were property in the South", should count towards representation "any more than the Cattle & horses of the North"?
The Three-Fifths Compromise was a result of this impasse. It stated that three-fifths of each state's slave population would be counted towards that state's total population for the purpose of representation in Congress and the House of Representatives. This gave the Southern states more power in the House and reinforced the institution of slavery. However, it is important to note that this Compromise did not relegate blacks to "three-fifths of a person" status, as is sometimes misinterpreted. The "three-fifths" referred to the proportion of the white population that enslaved blacks would be counted as, for the specific purpose of representation.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was part of a series of compromises that also included the prohibition of slavery in the Northwest Territories and the end of U.S. participation in the international slave trade in 1807. These compromises reflected the divide between the Northern and Southern states, with slavery being a key issue. While the Compromise did give more power to the Southern states, it has also been argued that it encouraged freedom by giving an increase of "two-fifths" of political power to free over slave states.
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Slaves as property
The U.S. Constitution does not state that Black people are three-fourths of a person. This is a common misconception. The Constitution does, however, refer to slaves as "other Persons", who were counted as three-fifths of a person. This was a compromise between the Southern states, who wanted slaves to be counted as full persons, and the Northern states, who did not want them to be counted at all.
The "Three-Fifths Compromise" was a result of the 1787 Constitutional Convention, which debated whether slaves should be considered property or part of the population. The Southern states, where slavery was prevalent, wanted slaves to be considered persons when it came to determining representation in the House of Representatives and the Electoral College. They wanted slaves to be considered property if the government levied taxes based on population. This would increase their number of members of Congress. On the other hand, the Northern states, where slavery was less common, did not want slaves to be counted at all. They proposed that only free inhabitants be counted for representation purposes.
The Three-Fifths Compromise stated that three-fifths of each state's slave population would be counted towards that state's total population for the purpose of apportioning the House of Representatives. This gave the Southern states more power in the House and reinforced the institution of slavery. This compromise was part of Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution, which states:
> "Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three-fifths of all other Persons."
The "other Persons" referred to in this clause were slaves. Free Black people and indentured servants were not subject to this compromise and were counted as one full person.
While the Three-Fifths Compromise has been interpreted as relegating slaves to a status of three-fifths of a person, it is important to note that it was a complex issue. Some have argued that the compromise was a step towards freedom, as it gave an increase of "two-fifths" of political power to free over slave states. Additionally, the Constitution did not forbid a coloured man to vote.
It is also worth noting that the legal status of slaves as property was further solidified in the Dred Scott v. Sandford case, where the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that slaves were property and not citizens.
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Counting slaves for representation
The Three-Fifths Compromise was an agreement reached during the 1787 United States Constitutional Convention over the inclusion of slaves in a state's total population. This count would determine the number of seats in the House of Representatives, the number of electoral votes each state would be allocated, and how much money the states would pay in taxes. Slaveholding states wanted their entire population to be counted to determine the number of Representatives they could elect and send to Congress. However, free states wanted to exclude the counting of slave populations in slave states, since those slaves had no voting rights.
The Southern states wanted each slave to count as a full person, which would increase their number of members of Congress. The Northern delegates and others opposed to slavery wanted to count only free persons, including free blacks in the North and South. The Southern states argued that slaves should be considered persons in determining representation, but wanted them considered property if the new government were to levy taxes on the states based on population.
The compromise that was finally agreed upon was to count "all other persons" as only three-fifths of their actual numbers. This reduced the representation of the slave states relative to the original proposals but improved it over the Northern position. An inducement for slave states to accept the Compromise was its tie to taxation in the same ratio, so the burden of taxation on the slave states was also reduced.
The Three-fifths Compromise was part of Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3 of the United States Constitution. It is important to note that free black people and indentured servants were not subject to the compromise and were each counted as one full person for representation.
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Free blacks not included
The US Constitution does not state that Black people are three-fifths of a person. This is a common misconception. The Constitution's three-fifths clause was part of a series of compromises enacted by the Constitutional Convention of 1787. The clause stated that for purposes of representation in Congress, enslaved Black people in a state would be counted as three-fifths of the number of white inhabitants of that state. This compromise was proposed by delegate James Wilson and seconded by Charles Pinckney of South Carolina.
The Southern states wanted their entire slave population to be counted to increase their number of members of Congress. The Northern delegates and others opposed to slavery wanted to count only free persons, including free Blacks in the North and South. The three-fifths compromise was struck to resolve this impasse. Free Black people and indentured servants were not subject to the compromise and were counted as one full person for representation.
The three-fifths clause has been interpreted in different ways. Some have argued that it encouraged freedom by giving an increase of "two-fifths" of political power to free over slave states. On the other hand, others have pointed out that it effectively gave the Southern states more power in the House of Representatives relative to the Northern states.
The interpretation that the Constitution relegates Blacks to “three-fifths of a person" status is incorrect and has been used to foster disrespect for the Constitution and its founders. The Constitution, in fact, recognises the humanity of Black people and, as pointed out by Frederick Douglass, nowhere forbids a coloured man to vote.
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Frequently asked questions
No, the US Constitution does not mention that Blacks are three-fourths of a person. The Constitution only recognises Blacks as three-fifths of a person.
The three-fifths compromise was a compromise struck between the Southern states and the Northern states. The Southern states wanted their entire slave population to be counted to determine the number of Representatives they could send to Congress. The Northern states wanted to exclude the counting of slave populations as slaves had no voting rights. The compromise counted three-fifths of each state's slave population towards that state's total population for the purpose of apportioning the House of Representatives.
The three-fifths clause, or Article I, Section 2 of the US Constitution of 1787, declared that for purposes of representation in Congress, enslaved Blacks in a state would be counted as three-fifths of the number of white inhabitants of that state.
The three-fifths compromise was made to resolve the issue of whether slaves would be counted as part of the population or would be considered property and therefore not considered in determining representation of the states in the House of Representatives and the Electoral College.
