What was the purpose of the Three-Fifths Compromise?

The Three-Fifths Compromise was primarily designed to address the conflicts between slave-holding and non-slave-holding states during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. At this time, there was significant disagreement over how enslaved individuals should be counted for purposes of representation and taxation. Southern states wanted to count enslaved people to increase their representation in Congress, while Northern states, which did not have slavery to the same extent, argued that enslaved individuals should not be counted at all since they were not granted the rights of citizenship.

The compromise resulted in enslaved individuals being counted as three-fifths of a person for both representation in the House of Representatives and for taxation purposes. This arrangement was a critical step in ensuring that the Constitution could be ratified by appeasing both sides of the debate, allowing for a balance in congressional representation that reflected the interests of states with different economic systems and social structures. By resolving this contentious issue, the Three-Fifths Compromise highlighted the complexities of integrating the institution of slavery within the framework of the new federal government, fostering a contentious yet necessary dialogue in American history.