Critique the following constitutional provision protecting the property of slave owners. What would be an advantage of this policy?

Question

Critique the following constitutional provision protecting the property of slave owners. What would be an advantage of this policy?

“Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.”

(1 point)
Responses

a. The national government assesses taxation on an equal basis, regardless of state population size.

b. Taxes are divided on an equal basis regardless of race, ensuring taxation is fair.

c. Identifying enslaved people as property ensures that Southern slave states remain part of the Union.

d. States retain the power to decide what taxes will be paid to the federal government, thus increasing state autonomy.

Answer 1

The advantage of this policy is option c. Identifying enslaved people as property ensures that Southern slave states remain part of the Union. By counting enslaved individuals as three-fifths of a person for tax and representation purposes, it appeases Southern slaveholding states and helps maintain their allegiance to the Union. This compromises helps in preventing the potential secession of the Southern states and maintains the unity of the country.