Three-Fifths Compromise

Definition

The Three-Fifths Compromise was a decision made during the Constitutional Convention in 1787 that determined how slaves would be counted for purposes of representation and taxation. This compromise allowed states to count each enslaved individual as three-fifths of a person when calculating their total population for congressional representation, significantly impacting the political power dynamics between Northern and Southern states. It reflects the contentious negotiations around slavery and its implications for governance in the early United States.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Three-Fifths Compromise was a result of negotiations between Northern states, which were generally anti-slavery, and Southern states that wanted to increase their political power through counting slaves.
2. It established that for every five enslaved individuals, three would be counted for representation and taxation purposes, leading to increased congressional representation for Southern states.
3. The compromise did not grant any rights or recognition to enslaved individuals; it was purely a political calculation to benefit slaveholding states.
4. The Three-Fifths Compromise was eventually rendered moot by the Thirteenth Amendment in 1865, which abolished slavery in the United States.
5. This compromise highlighted the deep divisions over slavery that would later contribute to the Civil War, as it exemplified how the political system was shaped by the institution of slavery.

Review Questions

• How did the Three-Fifths Compromise influence the balance of power between Northern and Southern states in Congress?
  • The Three-Fifths Compromise had a significant impact on the balance of power between Northern and Southern states by allowing Southern states to count a portion of their enslaved population when determining congressional representation. This effectively increased the political clout of Southern states in Congress compared to Northern states, which had a lower population of enslaved individuals. As a result, Southern states gained more representatives and electoral votes, enabling them to influence national policy in favor of slavery.
• Analyze how the Three-Fifths Compromise reflects the broader societal attitudes toward slavery during the Constitutional Convention.
  • The Three-Fifths Compromise reflects the complicated societal attitudes toward slavery during the Constitutional Convention by demonstrating a willingness to prioritize political expediency over ethical considerations. Delegates recognized that counting enslaved individuals as full persons would have disproportionately increased Southern power, yet counting them as property would negate their existence. This compromise shows how deeply entrenched pro-slavery sentiments were among many founding figures, revealing a systemic acceptance of racial inequality in early American governance.
• Evaluate the long-term consequences of the Three-Fifths Compromise on American political development leading up to the Civil War.
  • The long-term consequences of the Three-Fifths Compromise significantly shaped American political development leading up to the Civil War by entrenching divisions between free and slave states. By giving Southern states more representation based on their enslaved populations, it created a framework that allowed pro-slavery interests to dominate national politics. This imbalance fueled tensions over slavery's expansion into new territories and states, ultimately contributing to a series of conflicts such as the Missouri Compromise and the Kansas-Nebraska Act. These tensions laid the groundwork for the Civil War, illustrating how compromises made at the nation's founding had lasting implications.

Related terms

Constitutional Convention:

A gathering held in Philadelphia in 1787 where delegates drafted the United States Constitution, addressing issues such as federalism, representation, and slavery.

Slave Trade: The business of capturing, transporting, and selling enslaved Africans to the Americas, which was a central issue during the debates over the Constitution.

Compromise of 1850:

A series of legislative measures aimed at resolving tensions between free and slave states, which highlighted the continuing conflict over slavery and its implications for representation.