Why did the Three-Fifths Compromise pass?

Southern states wanted enslaved people to not be counted for representation in Congress

Southern states wanted enslaved people to be counted for representation in Congress, but the North wanted to limit it

Northern states wanted all enslaved people to be counted for representation in Congress

Northern states wanted enslaved people to be counted for representation in Congress, but the South wanted to limit it

1 answer

The Three-Fifths Compromise passed because Southern states wanted enslaved people to be counted for representation in Congress, while Northern states wanted to limit that count. The compromise established that for purposes of representation and taxation, every enslaved person would be counted as three-fifths of a person. This allowed the Southern states to gain more representation in Congress based on their population of enslaved individuals while also appeasing the Northern states' concerns about the moral implications of counting enslaved people fully for representation.