Question

Critique the following constitutional provision protecting the property of slave owners. What would be an advantage of this policy?
"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."

A. Taxes are divided on an equal basis regardless of race, ensuing taxation is fair.
B. Identifying enslaved people as property ensures that Southern slave states remain part of the Union.
C. States retain the power to decide what taxes will be paid to the federal government, thus increasing state autonomy.
D. The national government assesses taxation on an equal basis, regardless of state population size.