Jonah Patel
The US Constitution is sometimes called a bundle of compromises due to the numerous concessions made by delegates to create a government charter that was acceptable to each of the 13 states. One of the most notable undemocratic compromises was the Three-Fifths Compromise, which counted every five enslaved people as three individuals for the purposes of congressional representation and determining the voting power in the Electoral College. This compromise was made to bridge the gap between Northern and Southern states, with the former arguing that enslaved people should not count towards representation, and the latter insisting that they should. Another undemocratic compromise was the Electoral College Compromise, which established the Electoral College as the body that chooses the president instead of the general public. This gave smaller states a stronger role in the presidential election and was seen as a way to ensure the president was chosen based on ability rather than political ties.
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What You'll Learn
- The Three-Fifths Compromise counted enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for representation or congressional representation
- The Electoral College Compromise: the Electoral College selects the president, not the public
- The Connecticut Compromise balanced state and popular sovereignty, reflecting a victory for small states
- The Commerce Compromise: Congress controls domestic and international trade, but not the slave trade for at least 20 years
- The Great Compromise: a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House of Representatives
The Three-Fifths Compromise counted enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for representation or congressional representation
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 counted every five enslaved people as three individuals, regarding representation. The compromise was struck between the Northern and Southern states, with the former opposing the inclusion of slaves in population counts, and the latter fighting for it. The North's economy was not heavily dependent on slavery, and they believed that enslaved people should not be counted towards representation as it would give the South a greater number of representatives. The Southern states, on the other hand, wanted to count their entire slave population to increase their number of representatives in Congress.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was a pragmatic solution to this impasse. By counting three-fifths of each state's slave population, the Southern states gained more power in the House of Representatives relative to the North. This compromise also influenced the number of electoral votes each state received and the amount of money they paid in taxes. It is important to note that free black people and indentured servants were not subject to this compromise and were counted as full persons.
The interpretation of the Three-Fifths Compromise has been a subject of debate among historians, legal scholars, and political scientists. Some argue that it implies slaves were seen as three-fifths of a person, ontologically, while others claim it was purely a statistical designation to determine congressional representation. The former interpretation is supported by the fact that one man was equivalent to one vote, and the compromise tied personhood to votes. However, supporters of the statistical argument assert that Congress was not considering ontological notions at the time.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was a tragic aspect of the US Constitution, reflecting the compromise made between the ideal of equality and the preservation of the union. It is important to note that this compromise was later superseded by Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868, which explicitly repealed it.
The US Constitution, ratified by all 13 states in 1789, has been called a "bundle of compromises" due to the various concessions made to create a government charter acceptable to all states. The Three-Fifths Compromise is just one example of the undemocratic compromises made during the Constitutional Convention, with other issues such as state representation and voting rights also requiring negotiation and agreement.
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The Electoral College Compromise: the Electoral College selects the president, not the public
The United States Constitution was created through a series of compromises among the delegates to the Constitutional Convention of 1787. The delegates, representing 12 of the 13 original states, met in Philadelphia to revise the Articles of Confederation, which had been the governing document of the United States since the American Revolution. However, the delegates soon realized that a more comprehensive overhaul was needed, and they set out to create a new constitution.
One of the most significant undemocratic compromises made during the Constitutional Convention was the Electoral College Compromise, which established the Electoral College as the body that selects the president, rather than the general public. This compromise addressed the issue of how the president would be elected, and it was a result of the need to bridge the gaps between the different interests and perspectives represented at the Convention.
The Electoral College is a body of electors drawn from the states and the District of Columbia. The number of electors each state has is equal to its congressional delegation, with Washington, D.C., granted three electoral votes by the 23rd Amendment. This system of selecting the president is unique to the United States, as most democratic nations elect their executives by direct popular vote.
The Electoral College Compromise was designed to balance the interests of the states and the federal government in the presidential election and to ensure that the president would be chosen based on ability rather than political ties. It guaranteed every state at least three electors, regardless of population, giving smaller states a stronger role in the election. However, this compromise has been the subject of ongoing criticism. Some argue that it violates the principle of one person, one vote by giving smaller governments too much authority. Additionally, critics point out that the popular vote winner may not always become president, as has happened multiple times in American history.
Despite the objections, the Electoral College Compromise was necessary to gain the support of the required number of states, and it has endured as part of the foundation of the United States federal government.
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The Connecticut Compromise balanced state and popular sovereignty, reflecting a victory for small states
The Connecticut Compromise, also known as the Great Compromise of 1787 or the Sherman Compromise, was an agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. It defined the legislative structure and representation each state would have under the United States Constitution. The compromise combined the Virginia Plan, which provided representation based on each state's population, and the Jersey Plan, which proposed equal representation for every state.
The Connecticut Compromise offered a solution to the dispute between small and large states over representation in the new federal government. Delegates from small states objected to the Virginia Plan, which provided for a bicameral legislature with representation of each state based on its population or wealth. They argued that a state's contribution to the nation's financial and defensive resources should not be the only factors determining representation in the central government. The small-state delegates continued to protest proportional representation in the Senate, threatening to withdraw.
The Connecticut Compromise proposed a bicameral federal legislature that used a dual system of representation. The upper house, or Senate, would include two people from each state regardless of its size, thus reflecting the importance of state sovereignty. Meanwhile, the lower house, or House of Representatives, would have different numbers of representatives from each state determined by population. This mixed solution balanced state sovereignty and popular sovereignty tied to actual population, reflecting a victory for small states.
The Connecticut Compromise was approved on July 16, 1787, after six weeks of turmoil. It was a pragmatic solution that produced something that both small and large states wanted, allowing the delegates to move forward in their efforts to create a government charter acceptable to all 13 states.
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The Commerce Compromise: Congress controls domestic and international trade, but not the slave trade for at least 20 years
The US Constitution is sometimes referred to as a "bundle of compromises" due to the various concessions that were made during its drafting to ensure that it was acceptable to all 13 states. One of the most significant areas of contention was the issue of slavery, and the Commerce Compromise was a key part of this.
The Commerce Compromise gave Congress control over domestic and international trade, but it explicitly excluded the trade of enslaved people for at least 20 years. This was a pragmatic decision to prevent the collapse of the convention, as delegates from Southern states threatened to leave and oppose the formation of a stronger central government if any limitations to slavery were proposed.
The delegates from Northern states, where the economy did not rely heavily on slavery, wanted to end the importation and sale of enslaved people. In contrast, Southern states, with economies dependent on slavery, did not want government interference and wanted to protect the practice. The compromise was that Congress would not be able to ban the slave trade before 1808, although it could tax enslaved people as property.
The Commerce Compromise was a significant concession to the Southern states, and it allowed the slave trade to continue for two decades. This compromise, along with others like the Three-Fifths Compromise, strengthened the power of slave states and ensured that slavery remained a contentious issue in the US, ultimately leading to the Civil War.
The Commerce Compromise also had economic implications beyond slavery. It addressed the issue of trade barriers erected by state legislatures, which had led to a nationwide economic downturn and political dissatisfaction. By granting Congress control over international commerce, the compromise aimed to facilitate credible trade agreements with foreign powers and open markets for American goods.
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The Great Compromise: a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House of Representatives
The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was a significant agreement that helped shape the US Constitution. It addressed the contentious issue of state representation in Congress, which was a major point of disagreement among the delegates at the Constitutional Convention.
The Constitutional Convention of 1787 brought together delegates from 12 of the 13 original states to revise the Articles of Confederation, which had served as the governing document since the American Revolution. However, it soon became clear that a more comprehensive overhaul was needed, leading to the creation of the US Constitution.
During the Convention, two opposing plans emerged regarding state representation. The Virginia Plan, proposed by James Madison, advocated for representation based on each state's population. This plan favoured larger states, as they contributed more financially and defensively to the nation. On the other hand, the Jersey Plan proposed by delegates from smaller states called for equal representation for every state, regardless of population.
The Great Compromise struck a balance between these two plans. It established a bicameral legislature, consisting of an upper house (the Senate) and a lower house (the House of Representatives). In the Senate, each state, regardless of size, would be represented by two individuals. This chamber preserved the principle of state sovereignty. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives would have a variable number of representatives from each state, proportional to its population. This chamber reflected the concept of popular sovereignty.
The Great Compromise was a pragmatic solution that considered the interests of both large and small states. It played a pivotal role in shaping the US Constitution, demonstrating the importance of compromise and negotiation in the democratic process.
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Frequently asked questions
The US Constitution is a ["bundle of compromises"] that helped create a government charter acceptable to each of the 13 states.
The US Constitution has been criticised for its undemocratic nature, with some of the key undemocratic compromises including:
- The Three-Fifths Compromise: This compromise counted every five enslaved people as three individuals for the purposes of congressional representation.
- The Electoral College Compromise: The issue of how the president would be elected was resolved by this arrangement, with the Electoral College choosing the president instead of the general public.
- The Great Compromise: This established a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House of Representatives and equal representation in the Senate.
The compromises were made to bridge the gaps between the different interests and perspectives represented at the Constitutional Convention. While not everyone was satisfied with the final document, the Constitution was ratified by the required number of states and has served as the foundation of the US federal government for over two centuries.
