The Three-Fifths Compromise addressed the issue of how enslaved individuals would be counted for purposes of taxation and representation in Congress. It was a pivotal agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 between delegates from Northern and Southern states.
Here are the key issues it addressed:
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Representation in Congress: Southern states, which had large populations of enslaved individuals, wanted these individuals to be counted fully to increase their representation in the House of Representatives. Northern states, however, argued that since enslaved people were not considered citizens and had no rights, they should not be counted at all.
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Taxation: The compromise also had implications for taxation. If enslaved individuals were counted as part of the population for representation purposes, it could affect the apportionment of federal taxes that states would be required to pay.
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Political Power: The compromise impacted the balance of political power between slaveholding and non-slaveholding states. By allowing a portion of the enslaved population to count towards representation, it gave Southern states more influence in the federal government than they would have had if counting only free individuals.
The result of the compromise stated that for every five enslaved persons, three would be counted for both representation and taxation purposes. This compromise was significant in shaping the political landscape of the early United States and further entrenching the institution of slavery in the national framework. However, it also set the stage for future conflicts over slavery and representation, ultimately contributing to the sectional tensions that led to the Civil War.