The Great Compromise and the Three-Fifths Compromise were both key agreements reached during the drafting of the United States Constitution in 1787. The Great Compromise resolved the conflict between states regarding the representation in the legislative branch. It proposed a bicameral legislature, allowing for equal representation in the Senate, where each state would have two senators, while in the House of Representatives, representation would be based on population size. This compromise satisfied both small and large states, preserving a balance of power.
The Three-Fifths Compromise addressed the contentious issue of how enslaved individuals would be counted for the purposes of representation and taxation. Southern states wanted to count them as full persons, which would give them more representatives in the House and increased political power. However, Northern states objected and argued that enslaved individuals were property and should not be counted at all. The compromise settled on counting each enslaved individual as three-fifths of a person for taxation and representation purposes.
These compromises were necessary to reach a consensus and ratify the Constitution, as unresolved conflicts could have resulted in a failed union. The Great Compromise ensured the equality and representation of each state, while the Three-Fifths Compromise aimed to balance the power dynamics between Northern and Southern states. Nevertheless, the Three-Fifths Compromise perpetuated the dehumanization of enslaved individuals, as they were denied full personhood and subjected to further discrimination and oppression. These compromises were ultimately products of intense negotiations and compromises that shaped the foundation of the United States' political system.
Summarize the conflicts and compromises of the Great Compromise and the Three-Fifths Compromise
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