Why would southern delegates to the Constitutional Convention have opposed the Three-Fifths Compromise?

Answer 1

Southern delegates to the Constitutional Convention may have opposed the Three-Fifths Compromise for a few reasons:

1. Political power: Southern states had a large population of enslaved individuals, and counting them as three-fifths of a person for the purposes of representation in Congress gave greater political power to the northern states. The compromise would have reduced southern representation and influence in the federal government.

2. Economic considerations: The southern economy heavily relied on slavery and plantation agriculture. The Three-Fifths Compromise indirectly acknowledged the existence and significance of slavery, which could have threatened its continuation. Some delegates may have feared that this compromise would eventually lead to the abolishment of slavery.

3. Fear of future actions: Some southern delegates may have worried that conceding the three-fifths compromise would set a precedent for future compromises or restrictions on slavery. They may have wanted to prevent any potential erosion of the institution of slavery by opposing any acknowledgment of slaves as persons for representation purposes.

4. Unfair tax burden: The three-fifths compromise also affected taxation. Southern states would have had higher taxes on their population due to the inclusion of three-fifths of enslaved individuals in determining the states' share of direct taxes. This would have placed an extra burden on the southern economy.

Overall, southern delegates may have opposed the Three-Fifths Compromise due to concerns about political power, economic consequences, fear of future restrictions on slavery, and unfair taxation.