"... In being compelled to labor, not for himself, but for a master; in being vendible by one master to another master; and in being subject at all times to be restrained in his liberty and chastised in his body, by the capricious will of another, the slave may appear to be degraded from the human rank, and classed with those irrational animals which fall under the legal denomination of property. In being protected, on the other hand, in his life and in his limbs, against the violence of all others, even the master of his labor and his liberty; and in being punishable himself for all violence committed against others, the slave is no less evidently regarded by the law as a member of the society... " -The Federalist Papers What compromise addressed the debate over the ratification of the U.S. Constitution in this Federalist Papers quote?

Answer 1

The quote from The Federalist Papers highlights the complex nature of slavery in the context of American society and the legal system at the time. It reflects the tensions between the institution of slavery and the principles of individual rights and protections under the law.

The compromise that directly addressed the debate over the ratification of the U.S. Constitution concerning slavery was known as the "Three-Fifths Compromise." This agreement, reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787, determined that for purposes of representation and taxation, enslaved people would be counted as three-fifths of a person. This compromise was a key factor in allowing Southern states to count a portion of their enslaved population in determining congressional representation, thus influencing the political power balance between free and slave states.

In essence, the Three-Fifths Compromise showcased the entanglement of slavery with the foundational principles of the U.S. government while attempting to reconcile the conflicting views of liberty and human rights with the economic and political realities of the time.