what effect did the tree fifths comporise have on southern states

Answer 1

The Three-Fifths Compromise had several effects on the southern states:

1. Increased political power: The Three-Fifths Compromise determined that enslaved individuals would be counted as three-fifths of a person for purposes of determining a state's population and representation in the House of Representatives. This gave southern states, where slavery was most prevalent, greater representation in the federal government than if enslaved individuals were not counted at all. Consequently, southern states had a disproportionate influence in shaping policies and legislation.

2. Preservation of slavery: By counting enslaved individuals as part of the population, the Three-Fifths Compromise indirectly legitimized and perpetuated the institution of slavery. This compromise satisfied the concerns of southern states that their enslaved populations would not be ignored in determining representation, thereby cementing the institution of slavery for decades to come.

3. Economic advantage: The agrarian economy of the southern states heavily relied on slave labor to work on plantations, particularly in the cultivation of cash crops like cotton and tobacco. The Three-Fifths Compromise indirectly protected this economic system by increasing southern states' political power, which in turn enabled them to protect their economic interests, including slavery.

4. Disadvantage for enslaved individuals: The Three-Fifths Compromise effectively reduced the political power and representation of enslaved individuals. While they were counted as part of the population for determining representation, they had no voting rights or any means to influence political decisions. This compromise perpetuated the marginalization and mistreatment of enslaved individuals, reinforcing their status as property and denying them political agency.

Overall, the Three-Fifths Compromise entrenched the institution of slavery and created political and economic advantages for the southern states, while further disadvantaging enslaved individuals.