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.”

(1 point)
Responses

Taxes are divided on an equal basis regardless of race, ensuring taxation is fair.
Taxes are divided on an equal basis regardless of race, ensuring taxation is fair.

Identifying enslaved people as property ensures that Southern slave states remain part of the Union.
Identifying enslaved people as property ensures that Southern slave states remain part of the Union.

States retain the power to decide what taxes will be paid to the federal government, thus increasing state autonomy.
States retain the power to decide what taxes will be paid to the federal government, thus increasing state autonomy.

The national government assesses taxation on an equal basis, regardless of state population size.
The national government assesses taxation on an equal basis, regardless of state population size.
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Answer 1

Correct answer: Identifying enslaved people as property ensures that Southern slave states remain part of the Union.

Brief critique: The provision (the Three‑Fifths Compromise) dehumanizes enslaved people by treating them as fractional property, entrenches slavery politically by boosting slave states' representation and power, and is morally wrong despite providing the political advantage of securing Southern support for the new Union.