Question

What requirements are included in the 1790 South Carolina State Constitution for a person to be elected in the South Carolina House of Representatives:
SECTION 6. No person shall be eligible to a seat in the house of representatives unless he is a free White man, of the age of twenty-one years, and hath been a citizen and resident in this State three years previous to his election. If a resident in the election district, he shall not be eligible to a seat in the house of representatives unless he be legally seized and possessed in his own right of a settled freehold estate of five hundred acres of land and ten negroes, or of a real estate of the value of one hundred and fifty pounds sterling, clear of debt. If a non-resident, he shall be legally seized and possessed of a settled freehold estate therein of the value of five hundred pounds sterling, clear of debt.
A. 18 years or older
B. Had to own at least 10 slaves
C. Own at least 200 acres
D. Own at least 500 acres
E. Had no debts
F. Minimum amount of debt owed

Answer 1

Correct answers: B, D and E.

Briefly:
- Age required is 21 (not 18), so A is wrong.
- The resident option requires ownership of 500 acres and ten enslaved people (B and D).
- The real-estate qualifications must be “clear of debt,” so E (no debts on the qualifying estate) is required. F is not required.