Question

During the Three-Fifths Compromise debate, why did the slave states argue to count slaves as part of their population?

Answer 1

During the Three-Fifths Compromise debate, the slave states argued to count slaves as part of their population because with slaves, they can be able to do more so the whites don't do the entire job.

Answer 2

The Three-Fifths Compromise was an agreement reached during the 1787 Constitutional Convention. Under this agreement, every slave would be counted as three-fifths of a person for taxation and representation. The main reason why this was important for slave states was the fact that having a larger population gave them an advantage when it came to representation in the legislature.