Isabella Carter
The Three-Fifths Compromise established a constitutional rule for representation in Congress. It was reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787, in which 55 delegates, including George Washington, Alexander Hamilton, and Benjamin Franklin, gathered in Philadelphia to establish a new form of government. The Three-Fifths Compromise counted slaves as three-fifths of a person for population representation, and it was a part of the United States Constitution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of the agreement | Three-fifths compromise |
| Year of agreement | 1787 |
| Place of agreement | Philadelphia |
| Number of delegates | 55 |
| Number of states represented | 12 |
| Type of representation | Proportional representation in the House of Representatives, Equal representation in the Senate |
| Basis of representation | Population count |
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What You'll Learn
The Three-Fifths Compromise
Slaveholding states wanted their entire population to be counted to determine the number of Representatives they could elect and send to Congress. In contrast, free states wanted to exclude the counting of slave populations in slave states, given that those slaves had no voting rights. The compromise struck 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. This compromise was proposed by delegate James Wilson and seconded by Charles Pinckney.
The three-fifths ratio was first proposed by James Madison, who explained his reasoning in Federalist No. 54, "The Apportionment of Members Among the States" (February 12, 1788). Madison argued that slaves were not merely property but also persons, and thus should be counted as such. This compromise allowed for the preservation of the republic while also confronting the moral and systemic evils of slavery.
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The Great Compromise
The Constitutional Convention, held in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787, was arguably the most important meeting in the nation's history. The delegates, a diverse group, debated the idea of a Congress made up of two houses. One house would be, in the words of Virginia's George Mason, the "grand depository of the democratic principle of government." James Madison of Virginia proposed another house that would be small, deliberative, and independent from the larger, more democratic house. This became the Senate.
The Virginia Plan, drafted by Madison and introduced by Edmund Randolph, proposed the creation of a bicameral national legislature, or a legislature consisting of two houses, in which the "rights of suffrage" in both houses would be proportional to the size of the state. Delegates from small states objected to this idea, arguing that each state should have an equal say in the central government. This disagreement threatened to unravel the proceedings.
To resolve the issue, the Convention appointed a "Grand Committee" to reach a final resolution. The committee proposed a plan that became known as the Great Compromise. The plan retained the bicameral legislature as proposed by Roger Sherman of Connecticut, along with proportional representation of the states in the lower house or House of Representatives. It also required the upper house or Senate to be weighted equally among the states, with each state having two members in the Senate.
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The Virginia Plan
The debate surrounding the Virginia Plan eventually led to the Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, which created a House of Representatives apportioned by population and a Senate in which each state is equally represented. This compromise resolved the most controversial aspect of the drafting of the Constitution and shaped the foundation of the United States government.
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The Connecticut Compromise
The Virginia Plan, drafted by James Madison and introduced by Edmund Randolph, proposed a bicameral legislature with representation of each state proportional to its population or wealth. This plan was supported by delegates from large states, who argued that their greater contribution of financial and defensive resources to the nation meant they should have more say in the central government. Delegates from small states objected to this idea. William Paterson proposed the New Jersey, or small state, plan, which provided for equal representation in Congress.
The Compromise was approved on July 16, 1787, after six weeks of turmoil, when North Carolina switched its vote to equal representation per state and Massachusetts' delegation was divided. It allowed deliberations to continue and led to the Three-fifths Compromise, further complicating the issue of popular representation in the House. The Connecticut Compromise is considered a unique plan for congressional representation that resolved the most controversial aspect of the drafting of the Constitution.
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The Constitutional Convention of 1787
The convention was marked by diverse delegates representing large and small states, with the exception of Rhode Island, which refused to send a delegation. The delegates discussed and debated various issues, including the balance of power between the central government and the states, representation in Congress, and the election of representatives. The Virginia Plan, drafted by James Madison, proposed a bicameral legislature with proportional representation based on state size. This plan faced opposition from delegates from small states, leading to the ""Great Compromise," or the "Connecticut Compromise," which established equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House of Representatives.
Slavery was another highly contentious issue, with delegates debating the inclusion of a fugitive slave clause, the potential abolition of the slave trade, and the counting of enslaved individuals for proportional representation purposes. The convention also grappled with the powers of the executive branch, particularly in conducting foreign relations. The resulting Constitution established a federal government with enhanced powers, including those related to foreign affairs, and a system of checks and balances between the legislative, judicial, and executive branches.
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Frequently asked questions
The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was a meeting of 55 delegates from 12 of the 13 states (excluding Rhode Island) to establish a new form of government and frame a new constitution.
The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was a plan for congressional representation that established equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House of Representatives.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was an agreement that established a constitutional rule for representation in Congress based on population count. Under this compromise, enslaved individuals were counted as three-fifths of a person for the purposes of determining the population count and representation in the House of Representatives.
There were several debates at the Constitutional Convention, including the structure of Congress (unicameral vs bicameral), the powers of the federal government, slavery, and the method of representation (proportional vs equal).
The Constitutional Convention resulted in the creation of a bicameral legislature with equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House of Representatives, known as the Great Compromise or Connecticut Compromise. It also led to the Three-Fifths Compromise, which established rules for representation based on population count, including enslaved individuals.
