The Convention Confronts Slavery
Explain how the Three-Fifths Compromise and slave trade debates revealed slavery's divisive role at the Constitutional Convention in Grade 8 history.
Key Concepts
Another major debate divided the states over the issue of slavery. Southern delegates wanted to count enslaved people to increase their state’s representation in Congress. Northern delegates argued that enslaved people, who were treated as property and denied the right to vote, should not be counted for this purpose.
This conflict produced the Three Fifths Compromise . The agreement counted three out of every five enslaved individuals toward a state's population for both representation and taxation. This decision gave Southern states more power in the new government.
Common Questions
What was the Three-Fifths Compromise?
The Three-Fifths Compromise counted enslaved people as three-fifths of a person for purposes of congressional representation, giving Southern states more political power.
How did slavery debates almost break apart the Constitutional Convention?
Northern delegates opposed counting enslaved people for representation while Southern delegates threatened to leave if slavery was restricted, nearly collapsing the convention.
What did the Constitution do about the slave trade?
The Constitution banned Congress from ending the slave trade before 1808, giving Southern states 20 more years to import enslaved people before facing potential restrictions.