Omar Bennett
The Three-Fifths Clause, also known as the Three-Fifths Compromise, was a provision in Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3 of the United States Constitution, which stated that for the purposes of representation in the House of Representatives, African-American slaves would be counted as three-fifths of a person. This clause was a compromise between delegates from the Northern and Southern states during the Constitutional Convention in 1787, where disagreements over slavery and the apportionment of legislative representation were prevalent. The Three-Fifths Clause was superseded and repealed by the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Article | 1 |
| Section | 2 |
| Clause | 3 |
| Purpose | Taxation and representation in the House of Representatives |
| Who it applied to | Slaves |
| Who proposed it | Delegate James Wilson and seconded by Charles Pinckney |
| Date proposed | 18 April 1783 |
| Date superseded | 1868 |
| Amendment | Fourteenth Amendment |
| Effect on Southern representation | Minimal |
| Effect on federal tax contribution | Increased the direct federal tax burden of slaveholding states |
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What You'll Learn
The Three-Fifths Compromise
> 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 African-American slaves, who were considered three-fifths of a person when it came to apportioning representatives to Congress. This compromise was proposed by delegate James Wilson and seconded by Charles Pinckney.
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The impact of the Three-Fifths Clause
The Three-Fifths Compromise, or Three-Fifths Compromise Clause, was an agreement between delegates from the Northern and Southern states during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. This compromise affected the representation of each state in Congress and the number of electoral votes each state received. The Compromise stated that for the purposes of taxation and representation in the House of Representatives, each slave would be counted as three-fifths of a person. This had a significant impact on the political landscape of the United States and contributed to the tensions between the North and the South, which eventually led to the Civil War.
One of the main impacts of the Three-Fifths Clause was that it gave the Southern states more political power in Congress. Since slaves were now counted as three-fifths of a person, the Southern states, which had a large slave population, gained additional representation in the House of Representatives. This meant that they had more say in the legislative process and could better protect their interests, particularly those related to slavery.
Additionally, the Three-Fifths Clause also affected the distribution of tax burdens between the states. With slaves being counted as three-fifths of a person for taxation purposes, the Southern states were able to pay less in taxes compared to if slaves were counted as whole persons. This further solidified the economic power of the South, as they could invest their savings in other areas, such as infrastructure and commerce.
However, the Three-Fifths Clause also had the effect of dehumanizing slaves and perpetuating the institution of slavery. By counting slaves as three-fifths of a person, the Compromise implicitly endorsed the notion that slaves were not equal to white citizens. This had far-reaching consequences, as it justified the denial of basic rights and freedoms to slaves and reinforced the belief that slavery was a necessary and acceptable part of American society.
The Three-Fifths Clause also contributed to the growing sectionalism and tensions between the North and the South. As the North became increasingly industrialized and urban, the South remained heavily dependent on agriculture and slave labor. The Compromise, by giving the South disproportionate political power, created resentment among Northerners who felt that their interests were being overlooked. This sectionalism eventually led to the breakdown of compromise and negotiation, setting the stage for the Civil War.
Finally, the Three-Fifths Clause also had an impact on the electoral process and the balance of power between the states. Since the number of electoral votes each state received was based on its representation in Congress, the Southern states gained additional electoral votes due to the Three-Fifths Clause. This had significant implications for presidential elections, as it made it more difficult for Northern candidates to win and further solidified the power of the South in national politics.
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The Thirteenth Amendment
The official text of the amendment is as follows:
> "Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their jurisdiction. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation."
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The Fourteenth Amendment
The Three-Fifths Compromise, also known as the Three-Fifths Clause, was a provision in the original Constitution that dictated that for purposes of representation in the House of Representatives, African-American slaves were to be counted as less than full persons. The somewhat ambiguously worded clause stated that "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...three-fifths of all other Persons." While this provision has been traditionally cited as evidence of the Constitution's pro-slavery stance, historians have recently argued that it reflects an ambivalence toward slavery among the document's drafters.
The actual impact of the Three-Fifths Clause on Southern representation in the House of Representatives was relatively minor. Counting slaves as full persons would not have significantly altered the balance of power in the House before the Civil War. For instance, in 1820, Southern delegates would still have been outnumbered in the House even if slaves had been fully counted for representation purposes.
In conclusion, the Fourteenth Amendment played a crucial role in extending rights and liberties to formerly enslaved people, guaranteeing equal civil and legal rights to Black citizens, and superseding the Three-Fifths Compromise, which had been a contentious aspect of the original Constitution.
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The Constitutional Convention
The Three-Fifths Clause, or Three-Fifths Compromise, was a highly contentious issue during the Constitutional Convention, which took place in Philadelphia from May 25 to September 1787. The convention was initially intended to revise the existing system of government under the Articles of Confederation, but leading proponents, including James Madison of Virginia and Alexander Hamilton of New York, sought to establish a new framework of government.
During the convention, the delegates created a model of government that divided federal authority among the legislative, judicial, and executive branches, establishing a system of checks and balances. The role of the executive was a subject of intense debate, including whether executive power should be divided among three people or vested in a single chief executive, the process of electing a president, the duration and number of presidential terms, impeachable offences, and the selection process for judges.
Slavery was also a contentious issue during the convention, with delegates debating the inclusion of a fugitive slave clause, the potential abolition of the slave trade, and the proportional representation of slaves. The Three-Fifths Compromise, which was part of Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3 of the Constitution, stated that for the purposes of representation in the House of Representatives, African-American slaves would be counted as three-fifths of a person. This compromise was proposed by delegate James Wilson and seconded by Charles Pinckney. While some argue that this made the Constitution a pro-slavery document, others emphasise its anti-slavery aspects, suggesting that it reflected an ambivalence towards slavery among the drafters.
The actual impact of the Three-Fifths Compromise on Southern representation in the House of Representatives was relatively minor. Counting slaves as full persons would not have significantly altered the balance of power in the House, and the compromise was eventually superseded and explicitly repealed by Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868.
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Frequently asked questions
The Three-Fifths Compromise, or the Three-Fifths Clause, was part of Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3 of the US Constitution. It stated that slaves would be considered three-fifths of a person when it came to apportioning representatives to Congress and determining federal tax contributions.
The 3/5 clause was created to resolve a deadlock between delegates from the small and large states during the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The large states wanted representation in the legislature to be based on population or wealth, while the small states wanted equal representation for each state. The 3/5 clause was a compromise that allowed for proportional representation in the lower house and equal representation of the states in the upper house.
The 3/5 clause had a significant impact on the political power of slaveholding states. It resulted in the perpetual overrepresentation of slaveholding states in national politics. However, it also increased their direct federal tax burden. The clause was later superseded and explicitly repealed by Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868.
