Three-Fifths Compromise
Origins and Background
The U.S. Constitution was drafted in the summer of 1787, but the process was fraught with disagreements. One of the most contentious issues was how to count the population of slaves in the southern states for the purposes of representation and taxation. This led to the creation of the Three-Fifths Compromise.
The Southern states wanted to count their entire slave population for representation in the House of Representatives. The Northern states, where slavery was less prevalent, opposed this, arguing that slaves, being property, should not be counted at all. The impasse threatened the success of the Constitutional Convention.
The Compromise
The Three-Fifths Compromise was proposed by James Wilson and Roger Sherman in July 1787. It was a middle-ground solution to the representation issue. The compromise proposed that each slave would be counted as three-fifths of a person for both representation and taxation purposes.
The compromise was not without its critics. Many delegates, particularly from the Northern states, found the idea of counting slaves as less than a full person to be morally repugnant. However, the need for a unified nation and the fear of a failed Constitution led to its acceptance.
Impact on the Constitution
The Three-Fifths Compromise had a significant impact on the U.S. Constitution and the nation. It gave the Southern states a disproportionate influence in the House of Representatives and the Electoral College, which elects the President.
This influence allowed the South to protect and perpetuate the institution of slavery. It also led to the election of several Southern Presidents and the passage of laws favorable to the South.
Abolition and Aftermath
The Three-Fifths Compromise was eventually rendered moot by the Thirteenth Amendment, which abolished slavery in 1865. However, its legacy lived on in the form of systemic racial inequalities and the ongoing struggle for civil rights.