The Three-Fifths Compromise was an agreement reached during the drafting of the U.S. Constitution that counted each enslaved person as three-fifths of a person for purposes of taxation and representation.
Imagine you're splitting a pizza with friends, but some people only get to count as 3/5 of a person when deciding how many slices everyone gets. It's not fair, right? That's essentially what happened with this compromise.
Slavery: A system where individuals known as slaves are treated as property and forced to work without consent.
Constitutional Convention: The meeting held in 1787 where delegates from twelve states wrote the U.S. Constitution.
Representation: In politics, it refers to citizens electing officials to make decisions on their behalf in government.
© 2024 Fiveable Inc. All rights reserved.
AP® and SAT® are trademarks registered by the College Board, which is not affiliated with, and does not endorse this website.