What effect did the Three-Fifths Compromise have on Southern states?

Responses

It helped increase the number of slaves traded.
It helped increase the number of slaves traded. - no response given

It gave the South the power to outvote the North.
It gave the South the power to outvote the North. - no response given

It limited the number of states that allowed slavery.
It limited the number of states that allowed slavery. - no response given

It gave those states more representation in Congress.

1 answer

The Three-Fifths Compromise gave Southern states more representation in Congress. By counting three-fifths of the enslaved population for purposes of apportioning representation in the House of Representatives, it increased the political power of slaveholding states relative to free states. This compromise allowed Southern states to have a greater influence in the federal government, as they were able to include a substantial portion of their enslaved population in the count, despite those individuals not having any rights or representation.