3/5th Compromise
Objective for today: Determine the reasons why Northern and
Southern states differed on the debate of counting slaves for
representation. How was this problem solved?
 Southern States
During the late 1700’s the southern states had the largest
number of enslaved people. The South relied on the slave labor
to support its growing economy. The economy in the South was
based primarily on agriculture and was the driving force behind
the importation of African Slaves into the United States. At the
Constitutional Convention, Southern delegates wanted to count
slaves when figuring out how many representatives a state would
have in Congress. That way, the southern states could have more
representatives. As we talked about yesterday, more
representatives equals more power in Congress. The Southern
States however, did not want to count the slaves for tax
purposes.
Census of 1790 Showed % of Slaves in state population
 Northern States
By 1790, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York,
New Hampshire and New Jersey had outlawed slavery or were in
the process of doing so. The economy in the Northern States was
not based primarily on agriculture as the Southern States were,
and felt that slavery was a moral dilemma. Delegates from the
North did not want slaves to be counted for representation.
These delegates argued that slaves were not allowed to vote and
did not hold any rights of citizenship. Northern delegates also
suggested that if slaves were counted for representation they
should also be counted for the purposes of taxation. Some
delegates hoped that slavery would not continue.
3/5th Compromise
Southern States
1. How did the Southern States think slaves should be counted in state
population?
2. In your own words, describe why the Southern States felt this way?
Northern States
1. How did the Northern States think slaves should be counted in state
population.
2. Looking at the map on the front page, why might the Northern States
oppose slaves counting for representation in Congress?
3/5th Compromise
The Compromise
Congress agreed to a plan called the Three-Fifths Compromise. Each
enslaved person would be counted as three-fifths of a free person.
Therefore, 500 enslaved people would count as 300 free people. The threefifths compromise was a gain for the South, which got more seats in the
House. Northern delegates reluctantly agreed in order to keep the South in
the Union.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was a blow to African Americans. It helped
preserve slavery in the new Constitution by making a distinction between
“free persons” and “all other persons.” The compromise was finally
overturned when slavery was banned in 1865.
In your own words describe what the 3/5th Compromise was.
3/5th Compromise
Southern States
Northern States
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The 3/5th Compromise
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