Omar Bennett
The US Constitution is sometimes referred to as a bundle of compromises due to the many concessions made by delegates during its drafting. The delegates, representing 12 of the 13 original states, assembled in Philadelphia in May 1787 to revise the Articles of Confederation, but soon decided to create a new constitution. One of the fiercest arguments was over congressional representation, which was resolved by the Great Compromise, establishing proportional representation in the House and equal representation in the Senate. Another key compromise was the Three-Fifths Compromise, which counted enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for the purposes of congressional representation. The delegates also compromised on the issue of the slave trade, agreeing that it could continue for 20 years. The method of electing the president was another point of contention, with the delegates ultimately agreeing on the Electoral College system.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Congressional representation | Based on population or divided equally among the states |
| Counting enslaved Africans | Three-fifths of a person |
| Slave trade | Could continue until 1808 |
| Selection of the president | Electoral College |
| Tariffs | Allowed on imports from foreign countries and not on exports from the U.S. |
| Commerce Compromise | Congress would control domestic and international trade, but not the slave trade for at least 20 years |
| Import tariffs | Imposed on finished products to protect against foreign competition |
| Federal government | Would regulate interstate commerce |
| Commerce legislation | Passed by a two-thirds majority in the Senate |
| Vote | "Vote now, amend later" |
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What You'll Learn
- The Three-Fifths Compromise: Counting slaves as three-fifths of a person for representation
- The Great Compromise: Bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House and equal representation in the Senate
- Commerce Compromise: Congress controls trade, not the slave trade for 20 years
- Electoral College Compromise: Electors choose the president, not the general public
- Vote now, amend later: Aiding victory in Massachusetts and holdout states
The Three-Fifths Compromise: Counting slaves as three-fifths of a person for representation
The Three-Fifths Compromise was an agreement reached during the 1787 United States Constitutional Convention. 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. This gave the Southern states more power in the House relative to the North.
The issue of slavery threatened to derail the Union, but it was temporarily resolved when the delegates agreed that the slave trade could continue until 1808. Delegates from Northern states, where the economy did not rely heavily on the enslavement of African people, felt that enslaved people should not be counted toward representation because counting them would provide the South with a greater number of representatives. Southern states, on the other hand, fought for enslaved individuals to be counted in terms of representation as they felt that the enslavement of African people was vital to their economy.
The compromise was that every five enslaved people would be counted as three individuals. 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 that the burden of taxation on the slave states was also reduced.
The Three-Fifths Compromise gave slaveholders enlarged powers in Southern legislatures, and it had a huge impact over time. It increased pro-slavery strength in Congress, in the presidency (through the Electoral College), and at the Supreme Court (through the appointment of pro-slavery justices by pro-slavery presidents).
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The Great Compromise: Bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House and equal representation in the Senate
The US Constitution, produced after the Constitutional Convention of 1787, is sometimes referred to as a "bundle of compromises", reflecting the delegates' need to find common ground on numerous key points to create a government charter acceptable to each of the 13 states. One of the most significant compromises was the Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, which addressed the issue of congressional representation.
The Virginia Plan, drafted by James Madison, proposed the creation of a bicameral national legislature, consisting of two houses, with proportional representation in both houses based on the size of the state. This plan was supported by delegates from larger states, who argued that their greater contribution of financial and defensive resources to the nation meant they should have a greater say in the central government. However, delegates from smaller states objected to this idea.
The Great Compromise combined the Virginia Plan with the Jersey Plan, which proposed equal representation for every state. It established a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House of Representatives, giving each state one representative for every 30,000 people, and equal representation in the Senate, with each state receiving two representatives. This unique plan for congressional representation resolved one of the most controversial aspects of the drafting of the Constitution.
While the Great Compromise addressed the issue of congressional representation, other compromises were also necessary, such as the Three-Fifths Compromise, which determined how slaves would be counted for congressional representation, and the Electoral College Compromise, which established the method for selecting the president. These compromises allowed for the creation of a powerful central government while accommodating the diverse interests and viewpoints of the delegates.
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Commerce Compromise: Congress controls trade, not the slave trade for 20 years
The Commerce Compromise was a key part of the US Constitution, which has been described as a “bundle of compromises". The delegates at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 had to find common ground on several contentious issues to create a government charter acceptable to all 13 states. One of the thorniest questions was that of slavery and the slave trade, which threatened to derail the Union.
The Commerce Compromise addressed the issue of foreign trade, specifically the importation of enslaved Africans. The compromise allowed Congress to control trade, but it could not ban the slave trade for 20 years after the ratification of the Constitution, until 1808. This compromise was between the Southern states, where slavery was vital to the economy, and the Northern states, where abolition had been accomplished or contemplated.
The Southern states wanted to protect the slave trade, while the Northern states wanted to end the importation and sale of enslaved people. The compromise allowed the Southern states to continue the slave trade for 20 years, after which Congress could abolish it, which it did in 1808. During this period, the number of enslaved people imported into the United States exceeded 200,000.
While the compromise did not grant Congress explicit power to restrict the slave trade, it was presumed that Congress could use its foreign and interstate commerce powers granted in Article 1, Section 8, to do so after 1808. The compromise also allowed Congress to tax enslaved people as property, with a tax or duty of up to ten dollars for each person imported.
The Commerce Compromise was a significant part of the US Constitution, addressing the contentious issue of slavery and the slave trade. It was a temporary solution to a divisive problem, allowing the creation of a new national government while postponing a final decision on slavery for two decades.
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Electoral College Compromise: Electors choose the president, not the general public
The United States Constitution, produced after the Constitutional Convention and ratified by all 13 states in 1789, is sometimes referred to as a "bundle of compromises". This is because delegates had to find common ground on numerous key points to create a government charter acceptable to each of the 13 states. One of the most significant compromises was the Electoral College Compromise, which addressed the issue of how the president would be elected.
The Electoral College Compromise dictated that the president would be chosen by the Electoral College, rather than by direct popular vote. The Electoral College is made up of electors who are roughly proportional to the population. Citizens vote for electors who are bound to a particular candidate, and these electors then vote for the president. This system was designed to bridge the gaps between the different interests and perspectives represented at the Constitutional Convention.
The creation of the Electoral College was a result of the compromise between two opposing plans for state representation. The Virginia Plan, proposed by James Madison, suggested representation based on each state's population, while the Jersey Plan advocated for equal representation for every state. The delegates from smaller states objected to the Virginia Plan, while those from larger states argued that their greater contribution of resources entitled them to a greater say in the central government.
The compromise, known as the Great Compromise or the Connecticut Compromise, established a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House of Representatives and equal representation in the Senate. This unique plan for congressional representation resolved one of the most controversial aspects of the drafting of the Constitution. While the Electoral College system has been criticised for giving smaller governments excessive authority, it remains in use in the United States today.
The issue of slavery also played a significant role in the Electoral College Compromise. The Three-Fifths Compromise, a morally dubious aspect of the agreement, counted enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for representation purposes. This increased pro-slavery strength in Congress, the presidency, and the Supreme Court, as it allowed for the election of pro-slavery presidents who would appoint justices. The legality of slavery was left to the states, and it remained legal until the ratification of the 13th Amendment after the Civil War.
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Vote now, amend later: Aiding victory in Massachusetts and holdout states
The US Constitution, produced after the Constitutional Convention in 1787, is sometimes referred to as a "bundle of compromises". This is because delegates had to make several concessions on key points to create a government charter that was acceptable to each of the 13 states.
One of the most notable compromises was the Three-Fifths Compromise, which dictated that every five enslaved people would be counted as three individuals in terms of representation. This was a highly contested issue, with delegates from Northern states arguing that enslaved people should not be counted towards representation, while Southern states fought for enslaved individuals to be counted. The Three-Fifths Compromise was a way to balance these opposing views and was key in protecting the slave trade until 1808.
Another significant compromise was the creation of the Electoral College. The delegates initially considered electing the president through each state's Senate, but ultimately agreed on the Electoral College system, which is made up of electors roughly proportional to the population. Citizens vote for electors who are bound to a particular candidate, and these electors then vote for the president.
The issue of congressional representation was also a point of contention, with delegates debating whether it should be based on population or divided equally among the states. The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was reached, combining the Virginia Plan (representation based on population) and the Jersey Plan (equal representation for each state).
In terms of tariffs and commerce, a compromise was made to allow tariffs only on imports from foreign countries and not on exports from the US. This compromise also gave the federal government the power to regulate interstate commerce and required that all commerce legislation be passed by a two-thirds majority in the Senate, countering the power of the more populous Northern states.
While the exact strategy of "vote now, amend later" is not explicitly mentioned in the sources, it is possible that this approach was employed during the ratification process of the Constitution. The Federalists, who believed in a strong central government, needed to convince at least three states to adopt the Constitution. The "vote now, amend later" tactic may have helped secure victory in Massachusetts and the final holdout states, contributing to the eventual ratification of the Constitution by 9 of the 13 states.
In the context of Massachusetts specifically, the state has a history of supporting progressive causes, such as women's suffrage. In 1915, male voters in Massachusetts were asked to decide on an amendment to strike the word "male" from the article granting men the right to vote. While the measure was defeated at the time, Massachusetts eventually ratified the 19th Amendment in 1919, granting women the right to vote nationwide.
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Frequently asked questions
The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was an agreement on state representation. It established a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House of Representatives and equal representation in the Senate.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was an agreement on how slaves would be counted to determine congressional representation. Enslaved people were counted as three-fifths of a person, increasing pro-slavery strength in Congress.
While some delegates proposed an outright ban on the Atlantic slave trade, this was rejected. A compromise was reached where Congress could ban the international slave trade, but only after 20 years. The legality of slavery was left to the states.
The Electoral College Compromise decided that the president would be chosen by the Electoral College, rather than by a direct popular vote. The Electoral College is made up of electors drawn from the states and the District of Columbia.
The Commerce Compromise gave Congress the authority to control domestic and international trade, but not the slave trade for at least 20 years. This was a compromise between states that wanted a central authority to control commerce and those worried about unfair advantages.
