Simone Lawson
The Three-Fifths Compromise was an agreement between delegates from the Northern and Southern states at the United States Constitutional Convention in 1787. The compromise, which was part of Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution, stated that three-fifths of the enslaved population would be considered when determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives. This compromise was highly beneficial for states with a large enslaved population, such as Virginia, as it gave them more representation in Congress. The Three-Fifths Compromise was later superseded and repealed by the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| What is the 3/5 Compromise? | An agreement between delegates from the Northern and Southern states at the United States Constitutional Convention (1787) that three-fifths of the enslaved population would be counted for determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives. |
| Who proposed the compromise? | Delegate James Wilson and seconded by Charles Pinckney |
| What was the compromise? | Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several states 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. |
| What was the impact? | The three-fifths compromise was a vital part of negotiations surrounding the constitution. It was highly beneficial for states like Virginia. It also contributed to regional and economic differences between the Northern and Southern states. |
| What did it lead to? | A civil war due to continuing debates over slavery, representation, and laws. |
| When was it repealed? | 1868, by the Fourteenth Amendment |
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What You'll Learn
The Three-Fifths Compromise was an attempt to preserve the union
The Three-Fifths Compromise was an attempt to balance the interests of the Northern and Southern states and preserve the union. The Southern states had smaller populations of free whites, and without the Three-Fifths Compromise or a similar law, they would have been outvoted in Congress. The Compromise also addressed the economic disparities between the North and the South. The Northern and Southern states had very different economies, and these differences would only grow as the Industrial Revolution progressed. Issues like trade and taxation would affect the regions differently, and the Three-Fifths Compromise was an attempt to ensure that future legislation would be fair for both regions.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was also an attempt to confront the moral and systemic evils of slavery while preserving the union. Many of the Founding Fathers acknowledged that slavery violated the ideal of liberty that was so central to the American Revolution. However, they were unable to take bold action against it due to their commitment to the sanctity of private property rights, the principles of limited government, and the pursuit of sectional harmony. The Three-Fifths Compromise was an imperfect solution that allowed for the preservation of the republic while also addressing the issue of slavery.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was later superseded and explicitly repealed by Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868. This amendment removed the Three-Fifths Clause and included language that attempted to reduce states' congressional representation if they prevented eligible voters from voting. While the Three-Fifths Compromise was a temporary solution that helped preserve the union, it also contributed to regional differences and continuing debates over slavery, representation, and laws, ultimately leading to the Civil War.
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It was a compromise between Northern and Southern states
The Three-Fifths Compromise was a compromise between Northern and Southern states during the formation of the United States Constitution in 1787. The Southern states, with smaller populations of free whites, wanted to count the total slave population, while the Northern states did not want to count any slaves in making the apportionment. The compromise was that three-fifths of the enslaved population would be counted for determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives. This compromise was outlined in Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3 of the United States Constitution, which stated that "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 Three-Fifths Compromise was influenced by both political necessity and the regional and economic differences between the Northern and Southern states. The Southern states had smaller populations of free whites and relied on slavery as a source of cheap labor, while the Northern states had larger populations of free whites and some abolitionists who opposed slavery. The compromise allowed for the preservation of the republic while also confronting the moral and systemic evils of slavery.
The Three-Fifths Compromise had a significant impact on the representation of Southern states in the House of Representatives. It gave them disproportionate political power, which helped shape important national laws, elections, and decisions for nearly a century. However, it also contributed to the growing regional and economic differences between the North and the South, as issues like trade and taxation affected the regions differently. The compromise was later superseded and explicitly repealed by Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868, which removed the three-fifths clause and included language to reduce states' congressional representation if they prevented eligible voters from voting.
The interpretation of the Three-Fifths Compromise has been a subject of debate, with some people using it to defame the Constitution as a racist contract. However, others argue that the compromise was a necessary step to preserve the unity of the nation and that it leaned towards freedom rather than slavery. The compromise was a vital part of the negotiations surrounding the Constitution, and it helped bring all states on board to ratify the document.
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It was a compromise between large and small states
The Three-Fifths Compromise was an agreement between delegates from the Northern and Southern states at the United States Constitutional Convention in 1787. It was a compromise between large and small states, with the former having a larger population of free whites and the latter having a larger enslaved population. The compromise stated that three-fifths of the enslaved population would be considered when determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives. This was highly beneficial for states like Virginia, which had a large slave population.
The large states, such as Virginia, proposed a bicameral legislature with representation based on population or wealth. On the other hand, the small states, such as New Jersey, proposed equal representation for each state in Congress. The deadlock was resolved by the Connecticut Compromise, which established a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the lower house and equal representation of the states in the upper house.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was a vital part of negotiations surrounding the constitution. It allowed for the preservation of the republic while confronting the moral and systemic evils of slavery. The compromise was influenced more by political necessity than fairness, as regional differences and debates over slavery continued to divide the nation. The impact of the compromise was felt not only in the House of Representatives but also in determining the number of presidential electors in the Electoral College.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was later superseded and explicitly repealed by Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868. This amendment removed the three-fifths clause and included language to reduce states' congressional representation if they prevented eligible voters from voting.
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It was an attempt to confront the moral and systemic evils of slavery
The Three-Fifths Compromise was an attempt to confront the moral and systemic evils of slavery. It was a compromise between delegates from the Northern and Southern states at the United States Constitutional Convention in 1787. The Southern states, with smaller populations of free whites, threatened to abandon the convention if enslaved individuals were not counted. This would have resulted in a loss of representation in Congress for the Southern states. The compromise stated that three-fifths of the enslaved population would be considered when determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives. This gave Southern states with large enslaved populations more representation and reinforced the institution of slavery.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was an attempt to balance the interests of the Northern and Southern states and preserve the union of the nascent United States. The Founding Fathers acknowledged that slavery violated the ideal of liberty central to the American Revolution. However, they were unable to take bold action against it due to their commitment to private property rights, limited government, and the pursuit of interstate harmony. The compromise was a pragmatic solution to the issue of slavery, ensuring that the Southern states were included in the ratification of the Constitution.
The Three-Fifths Compromise had significant implications for representation and political power in the United States. It gave Southern states with large enslaved populations a disproportionate advantage in the House of Representatives. This advantage was further exploited by Southern whites after the Civil War, shaping national laws, elections, and decisions for nearly a century. The compromise also contributed to regional and economic differences between the Northern and Southern states, as the two regions had very different economies that would continue to diverge during the Industrial Revolution.
While the Three-Fifths Compromise was an attempt to address the issue of slavery, it has been criticised as a flawed and racist solution. Some interpretations of the compromise, such as the “three-fifths of a person" interpretation, have been used to defame the Constitution and intensify societal divides in America. However, it is important to note that the compromise was a complex issue and the Constitution did not explicitly mention slavery or state that slaves were not human. The Fourteenth Amendment, ratified in 1868, superseded the Three-Fifths Compromise and explicitly repealed it, reducing the political power of slaveholding states.
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It was superseded and repealed by the Fourteenth Amendment
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 agreement was included in Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3 of the United States Constitution. The Three-Fifths Compromise was an attempt to resolve the impasse between the Northern and Southern states. The Southern states, which had smaller populations of free whites, wanted their entire slave population to be counted toward their total population. This was because the 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. On the other hand, the Northern, free states wanted to exclude the counting of slave populations in slave states, since those slaves had no voting rights.
The Three-Fifths 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. This gave the Southern states more power in Congress than they would have had if only their free population had been counted. The Three-Fifths Compromise was an imperfect solution that allowed for the preservation of the republic while also confronting the moral and systemic evils of slavery.
The Fourteenth Amendment, passed in 1868, superseded and repealed the Three-Fifths Compromise. Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment explicitly removed the Three-Fifths Clause and provided that "representatives shall be apportioned ... counting the whole number of persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed." This amendment ensured that all persons, regardless of race or status, would be counted equally for the purpose of representation in Congress. The Fourteenth Amendment also included language that attempted to reduce states' congressional representation if they prevented eligible voters from voting.
The repeal of the Three-Fifths Compromise was a significant step towards racial equality in the United States. However, it is important to note that even after the repeal, societal injustices and racial discrimination persisted. The Civil Rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s, for example, continued to fight against voter suppression and racial inequality, demonstrating that the repeal of the Three-Fifths Compromise was not a complete solution to the issues of slavery and racial discrimination in America.
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Frequently asked questions
The Three-Fifths Compromise was an agreement between delegates from the Northern and Southern states at the United States Constitutional Convention in 1787.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was part of Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3 of the Constitution. It determined that three-fifths of the enslaved population would be considered when determining direct taxation and representation in the House of Representatives.
The Compromise was included to preserve the union of the nascent United States and to confront the moral and systemic evils of slavery. It was also influenced by political necessity, as the Northern and Southern states had very different economies and disparities would grow with the Industrial Revolution.
Every five slaves in a state counted as three free people when determining how many congresspeople a state would be allotted. This gave Southern states disproportionate political power.
Yes, the Three-Fifths Compromise was superseded and repealed by the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868.
