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The Three-Fifths Compromise, also known as the Constitutional Compromise of 1787, was an agreement reached during the United States Constitutional Convention regarding the inclusion of slaves in counting a state's total population. This agreement, which was part of Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution, 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 and determining taxation. This compromise gave Southern states more representation in the House relative to the North, but it also increased their federal tax burden. The Three-Fifths Compromise was repealed in 1868 by the Fourteenth Amendment, which superseded Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3 and explicitly ended the compromise.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Part of the US Constitution | Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3 |
| Date | 1787 |
| Purpose | To 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 |
| Who it affected | Slaveholding states |
| Who proposed it | Delegate James Wilson and seconded by Charles Pinckney |
| Date repealed | 1868 |
| Amendment that repealed it | Fourteenth Amendment |
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What You'll Learn
The Three-Fifths Compromise
The debate was between the slaveholding states and the free states. The slaveholding states wanted their entire population to be counted to determine the number of Representatives they could elect and send to Congress. On the other hand, the free states wanted to exclude the counting of the slave population in slave states, since those slaves had no voting rights. The Three-Fifths Compromise was a resolution to this issue, counting three-fifths of each state's slave population toward that state's total population. This gave the Southern states more power in the House relative to the North.
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The Constitutional Compromise of 1787
The Three-Fifths Compromise, also known as the Constitutional Compromise of 1787, was an agreement reached during the 1787 United States Constitutional Convention. This convention addressed the apportionment in the House of Representatives and the number of electoral votes each state would have in presidential elections based on a state's population.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was an agreement over the inclusion of slaves in counting 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. Slave-holding states wanted their entire population to be counted to determine the number of Representatives those states could elect and send to Congress. Free states, on the other hand, wanted to exclude the counting of slave populations in slave states, since those slaves had no voting rights.
A compromise was struck to resolve this impasse. 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 North. The Three-Fifths Compromise, or Constitutional Compromise of 1787, was thus a critical agreement that helped shape the representation of states in the early United States political system.
The Constitutional Convention of 1787 also witnessed another significant agreement known as the Great Compromise or the Connecticut Compromise. This compromise addressed the legislative structure and representation each state would have under the United States Constitution. The Great Compromise retained the bicameral legislature, with proportional representation of the states in the lower house or House of Representatives, and equal representation for each state in the upper house or Senate.
The Great Compromise resolved disputes between larger and smaller states by providing that the House of Representatives would be apportioned based on population, while the states would be equally represented in the Senate. This compromise was adopted on July 16, 1787, by a narrow margin of just one vote. The Three-Fifths Compromise and the Great Compromise were pivotal agreements reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787, shaping the foundations of representation and governance in the United States.
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Apportionment of representation in Congress
The Three-Fifths Compromise, also known as the Constitutional Compromise of 1787, was an agreement reached during the 1787 United States Constitutional Convention over the inclusion of slaves in counting a state's total population. This total population 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.
The Three-Fifths Compromise is 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.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was proposed to resolve the impasse between slaveholding states and free states. Slaveholding states wanted their entire population to be considered when determining the number of Representatives they could elect and send to Congress. On the other hand, free states wanted to exclude the counting of slave populations in slave states, as those slaves had no voting rights. 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 is important to note that the Three-Fifths Compromise did not relegate slaves to "three-fifths of a person" status, as neither the word "slave" nor the word "slavery" appears in this clause or anywhere in the unamended Constitution. However, by granting slaveholding states the right to count three-fifths of their enslaved population when determining congressional representation, these states were perpetually overrepresented in national politics. This compromise also had tax implications, as the same three-fifths ratio was used to determine the federal tax contribution required of each state, increasing the direct federal tax burden on slaveholding states.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was repealed in 1868 by Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment, which superseded Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3 and explicitly ended the compromise.
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The impact on taxation
The Three-Fifths Compromise, also known as the Constitutional Compromise of 1787, was an agreement reached during the 1787 United States Constitutional Convention. This compromise addressed the inclusion of slaves in counting a state's total population, which would, in turn, 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.
The Three-Fifths Compromise had a significant impact on taxation at the time. Firstly, it changed the basis for determining a state's wealth and, consequently, its tax obligations. Before the compromise, a state's wealth was determined by real estate holdings. However, the compromise shifted the basis for determining wealth to population, as a measure of a state's ability to produce wealth. This meant that states with larger populations, including slave populations, would be taxed more.
The compromise also resulted in an increase in the direct federal tax burden of slave-holding states. By granting slave-holding states the right to count three-fifths of their enslaved population, these states became overrepresented in national politics. As taxation was proportioned according to representation, slave-holding states had to pay more in direct federal taxes.
Additionally, the Three-Fifths Compromise had implications for the taxation of free persons within the states. As the compromise focused on counting slaves as part of the population, it indirectly affected the taxation of free individuals. The compromise's impact on representation and taxation was not limited to slaves but had a broader impact on the overall tax landscape of the states.
The taxation implications of the Three-Fifths Compromise contributed to the complex dynamics surrounding slavery and representation in the United States at the time. While the compromise addressed the inclusion of slaves in population counts for taxation purposes, it also highlighted the tensions between slave-holding states and free states, as well as the complexities of representation and taxation in the emerging nation.
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The Reconstruction Amendments
The Three-Fifths Clause was a compromise reached between delegates from northern and southern states during the drafting of the United States Constitution in 1787. This clause, which was part of Article I, Section 2, stated that for the purpose of representation in the House of Representatives and direct taxation, three-fifths of the slave population would be counted in determining a state's total population. This compromise was a result of the differing views and needs of the slave-holding states in the South and the free states in the North.
Now, here is the content on the Reconstruction Amendments:
The 13th Amendment, ratified in 1865, abolished slavery and involuntary servitude, except as punishment for a crime. This amendment marked a pivotal moment in American history, as it legally ended the practice of slavery that had been a part of the nation since its founding. The 14th Amendment, ratified in 1868, established citizenship for all persons born or naturalized in the United States and guaranteed them due process and equal protection under the law. This amendment overturned the Supreme Court's decision in Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857), which had denied citizenship to African Americans. The 14th Amendment also contained provisions to reduce the representation of states that denied the right to vote to male citizens over the age of 21 and to bar from office any officials who had engaged in insurrection or rebellion.
The 15th Amendment, ratified in 1870, prohibited the denial of the right to vote based on race, colour, or previous condition of servitude. This amendment completed the post-Civil War Reconstruction Amendments and ensured that African American men could exercise their right to vote, a significant step towards racial equality. Together, these three amendments laid the constitutional foundation for civil rights and equal protection under the law, shaping the country's understanding of citizenship, representation, and the fundamental rights of all Americans.
While the Reconstruction Amendments represented significant progress towards racial equality and civil rights, the struggle for full enforcement and realization of these rights continued well into the 20th century. Despite the constitutional guarantees, the post-Reconstruction era witnessed the rise of Jim Crow laws and other forms of discrimination that sought to undermine the gains made during Reconstruction. Nonetheless, the Reconstruction Amendments remain a cornerstone of American democracy, providing a framework for ongoing efforts to secure equal rights and justice for all.
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Frequently asked questions
The Three-Fifths Compromise, or Clause, was an agreement reached during the 1787 United States Constitutional Convention over the inclusion of slaves in counting 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.
The Southern states wanted their entire population to be counted to determine the number of Representatives they could elect and send to Congress. This would have given them more political power.
The Northern states did not want to count any slaves in making the apportionment because slaves had no voting rights.
The Three-Fifths Compromise counted three-fifths of each state's slave population toward that state's total population. This gave the Southern states more power in the House of Representatives relative to the North. However, it also made the Southern states liable for more direct taxes, which are proportioned according to representation.
