Leaders of the Continental Congress wanted the government of the newly formed United States to be different from England for several reasons:
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Colonial Experience: The colonies had experienced what they viewed as oppressive governance under British rule. Many felt that the British monarchy and Parliament limited their rights and freedoms, leading to a desire for a government that would be more representative and accountable to the people.
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Fear of Tyranny: The leaders were wary of creating a strong central government that could become tyrannical, similar to what they had experienced under British rule. This concern was reflected in their desire for checks and balances within the government to prevent any one branch from gaining too much power.
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Representation: The leaders sought to establish a government that represented the will of the people rather than the interests of a monarchy or an elite ruling class. They aimed for a system that included more direct participation from the populace.
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Individual Rights: The Continental Congress emphasized the protection of individual liberties and civil rights, which they felt had been ignored by the British government. This led to an insistence on a Bill of Rights in many state constitutions and eventually influenced the U.S. Constitution.
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Federalism: The founders aimed to create a federal system that balanced power between the national and state governments, allowing for local control while maintaining a unified nation.
The 3/5 Compromise
The 3/5 Compromise was a contentious agreement made during the 1787 Constitutional Convention regarding how enslaved people would be counted when determining a state's population and representation in Congress. Here are the key points:
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Context: The debate centered on whether slaves should be counted as part of the population when allocating seats in the House of Representatives and determining taxation. Southern states wanted enslaved individuals to be counted fully to increase their representation, while Northern states argued that they should not be counted at all since they were considered property and denied basic rights.
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The Compromise: To reconcile these differing viewpoints, the compromise stipulated that each enslaved individual would be counted as three-fifths of a person. This meant that for every five enslaved individuals, three would be counted for the purpose of representation and taxation.
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Impact: The 3/5 Compromise had significant political ramifications, as it increased the political power of slaveholding states in Congress and contributed to the entrenchment of slavery in American society. It was a key moment in the early political landscape of the United States, reflecting the deep divisions over slavery that would eventually lead to the Civil War.
Overall, the 3/5 Compromise underscored the complex and often contradictory attitudes toward slavery that existed among the founding leaders of the United States.