Final answer:
Slavery undermined the Constitution's goal of upholding the ideals of the Confederation by contradicting principles of equality and liberty. The Three-Fifths Compromise and protection of the slave trade were evidence of this.
Step-by-step explanation:
Slavery undermines the Constitution's goal of upholding the ideals of the Confederation by contradicting the principles of equality and liberty for all. The Three-Fifths Compromise, for example, treated enslaved people as less than whole persons, perpetuating the idea that they were property rather than individuals with rights. Additionally, the Constitution protected the interstate slave trade and prevented Congress from interfering with it until 1808.
By allowing slavery to exist and flourish, the Constitution contradicted its own ideals and perpetuated the institution of slavery, which oppressed and denied rights to a large portion of the population. This undermined the goal of a united nation based on principles of liberty, equality, and justice.