The delegates at the Constitutional Convention of 1787 addressed the issue of slavery with a series of compromises, reflecting the deep divisions between Northern and Southern states. Here are the key points regarding how they handled the issue:
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Three-Fifths Compromise: One of the most contentious issues was how slaves would be counted for both representation and taxation purposes. The Three-Fifths Compromise established that three-fifths of the slave population would be counted when apportioning representation in the House of Representatives. This compromise benefited Southern states, which had large slave populations, giving them more political power.
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Slave Trade: Delegates debated the continuation of the transatlantic slave trade. The compromise reached allowed the slave trade to continue for 20 years after the Constitution was ratified, until 1808. After that, Congress was given the power to regulate and possibly abolish it.
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Fugitive Slave Clause: The Constitution included a provision (Article IV, Section 2) that required that escaped slaves who fled to free states be returned to their owners. This was a significant concession to Southern slaveholders and ensured that their property rights were protected even across state lines.
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Absence of Direct Mention of Slavery in the Constitution: Notably, the term "slavery" itself is never explicitly mentioned in the Constitution, reflecting a desire to avoid the moral implications and conflicts surrounding the institution.
These compromises were essential for achieving consensus among delegates from different states but also highlighted the inherent tensions between the values of freedom and the realities of slavery in the new nation. The decisions made at the Constitutional Convention set the stage for future conflicts over slavery, contributing to the sectional tensions that ultimately led to the Civil War.