Jonah Patel
Although the original United States Constitution did not contain the words slave or slavery, it indirectly protected the institution in several ways. The Constitution gave slave owners and slave states increased political representation, and it also protected the rights of slave owners to recapture their escaped slaves. The three-fifths clause gave the South extra representation in the House of Representatives and extra votes in the Electoral College. The Constitution also prohibited Congress from outlawing the Atlantic slave trade for twenty years.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Political representation for slave owners and slave states | Increased |
| Congressional power to regulate the international slave trade | Limited |
| Rights of slave owners to recapture their escaped slaves | Protected |
| Slave ownership | Promoted |
| Slave population in apportioning representation | Counted as three-fifths of a state's population |
| Atlantic slave trade | Prohibited from being outlawed for 20 years |
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What You'll Learn
- The three-fifths clause gave the South extra representation in the House of Representatives and extra votes in the Electoral College
- The Constitution protected the rights of slave owners to recapture their escaped slaves
- The Constitution did not contain the words slave or slavery within its text
- The Founding Fathers criticised the institution of slavery
- The Constitution prohibited Congress from outlawing the Atlantic slave trade for twenty years
The three-fifths clause gave the South extra representation in the House of Representatives and extra votes in the Electoral College
Although the words "slave" and "slavery" were not mentioned in the original United States Constitution, the document indirectly protected the institution of slavery and the rights of slave owners. The three-fifths clause, which counted three-fifths of a state's slave population in apportioning representation, gave the South extra representation in the House of Representatives and extra votes in the Electoral College. This clause, also known as the Three-fifths Compromise, allowed Thomas Jefferson to win the election of 1800. The Constitution also included a fugitive slave clause, which required the return of runaway slaves to their owners, and prohibited Congress from outlawing the Atlantic slave trade for twenty years. The Constitution thus protected slavery by increasing political representation for slave owners and slave states, and by limiting congressional power to regulate the international slave trade.
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The Constitution protected the rights of slave owners to recapture their escaped slaves
Although the original United States Constitution did not contain the words "slave" or "slavery" within its text, it indirectly protected the institution of slavery. The Constitution thus protected slavery by increasing political representation for slave owners and slave states, and by protecting the rights of slave owners to recapture their escaped slaves.
The Constitution also prohibited Congress from outlawing the Atlantic slave trade for twenty years. A fugitive slave clause required the return of runaway slaves to their owners. This was known as the three-fifths clause, which counted three-fifths of a state’s slave population when apportioning representation. This gave the South extra representation in the House of Representatives and extra votes in the Electoral College.
The Founding Fathers criticised the institution of slavery severely. The “Father of the Constitution,” James Madison, attacked slavery early in the Convention, stating, “We have seen the mere distinction of colour made in the most enlightened period of time, a ground of the most oppressive dominion ever exercised by man over man”.
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The Constitution did not contain the words slave or slavery within its text
Although the original United States Constitution did not contain the words "slave" or "slavery" within its text, it indirectly protected the institution of slavery. The Constitution dealt directly with American slavery in at least five of its provisions. The Founding Fathers were not proponents of slavery, and some criticised the institution severely. However, the Constitution protected slavery by increasing political representation for slave owners and slave states, and by protecting the rights of slave owners to recapture their escaped slaves. The Constitution also prohibited Congress from outlawing the Atlantic slave trade for twenty years. A fugitive slave clause required the return of runaway slaves to their owners. The three-fifths clause—which counted three-fifths of a state’s slave population in apportioning representation—gave the South extra representation in the House of Representatives and extra votes in the Electoral College.
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The Founding Fathers criticised the institution of slavery
Although the original United States Constitution did not contain the words "slave" or "slavery" within its text, it indirectly protected the institution. The Constitution thus protected slavery by increasing political representation for slave owners and slave states, by limiting congressional power to regulate the international slave trade, and by protecting the rights of slave owners to recapture their escaped slaves. The Constitution also prohibited Congress from outlawing the Atlantic slave trade for twenty years.
However, the Founding Fathers criticised the institution of slavery. The “Father of the Constitution,” James Madison, attacked slavery early in the Convention, stating, “We have seen the mere distinction of colour made in the most enlightened period of time, a ground of the most oppressive dominion ever exercised by man over man”. Another Virginian, George Mason, feared that slavery brought down “the judgment of heaven on a country”. At the Constitutional Convention, Gouverneur Morris called slavery a “nefarious institution” and the “curse of heaven”.
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The Constitution prohibited Congress from outlawing the Atlantic slave trade for twenty years
Although the original United States Constitution did not contain the words "slave" or "slavery" within its text, it indirectly protected the institution. The Constitution prohibited Congress from outlawing the Atlantic slave trade for twenty years, and it also protected the rights of slave owners to recapture their escaped slaves. The Constitution also promoted slave ownership by promising increased political representation while keeping unregulated the flow of slaves through the international slave trade for 21 years. This was achieved through the notorious three-fifths clause, which counted three-fifths of a state's slave population when apportioning representation, giving the South extra representation in the House of Representatives and extra votes in the Electoral College.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitution protected slavery by increasing political representation for slave owners and slave states, by limiting congressional power to regulate the international slave trade, and by protecting the rights of slave owners to recapture their escaped slaves.
The Constitution promised increased political representation for slave owners while keeping the flow of slaves through the international slave trade unregulated for 21 years.
No, the Founding Fathers criticised the institution of slavery. The "Father of the Constitution", James Madison, attacked slavery early in the Convention, stating, "We have seen the mere distinction of colour made in the most enlightened period of time, a ground of the most oppressive dominion ever exercised by man over man".
No, the Constitution did not contain the words "slave" or "slavery" within its text, although it dealt directly with American slavery in at least five of its provisions and indirectly protected the institution elsewhere in the document.
