How Did They Count Slaves

The three-fifths compromise was an agreement reached by the state delegates at the 1787 Constitutional Convention. Under the compromise, every enslaved American would be counted as three-fifths of a person for taxation and representation purposes.

How was the issue of counting slaves for representation settled?

This would give slave-holding states an advantage in the House of Representatives and in the Electoral College. The debate was settled with the Three-Fifths Compromise which allowed slaves to be counted as 3/5 of a free white person when the population of a given state was counted for representation purposes.

Is the 3/5 compromise still in effect?

In the United States Constitution, the Three-fifths Compromise is part of Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3. Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment (1868) later superseded this clause and explicitly repealed the compromise.

Chloe Bennett

Chloe Bennett

Culture, Media & Entertainment Columnist

Chloe Bennett explores the intersection of pop culture, streaming entertainment, digital trends, and contemporary lifestyle. Her weekly commentary reaches thousands of culture enthusiasts.

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