Final answer:
The Three-Fifths Compromise allowed enslaved Black Americans to be counted as three-fifths of a person for the purpose of representation and taxation. This compromise was a result of a political agreement and aimed to address the interests of the Southern and Northern states.
Step-by-step explanation:
Why might the founding fathers, who were anti-slavery in public (despite most of them owning slaves), allow for black Americans to be counted as less than a whole person in the constitution?
The Three-Fifths Compromise, contained in the second US Constitution, allowed for enslaved Black Americans to be counted as three-fifths of a person for the purpose of representation and taxation. This compromise was formed as a result of a political agreement and aimed to address the competing interests of the slaveholding Southern states and the Northern states. By counting enslaved individuals as three-fifths of a person, Southern states gained more political power in Congress, while Northern states sought to limit the South's influence.
The primary reason for this compromise was political compromise. It was a way to secure the support of Southern states for the new Constitution while addressing the issue of slavery. This compromise ultimately perpetuated the idea that enslaved individuals were not fully equal and allowed the Southern states to maintain their power and representation despite a smaller free population. Other factors such as economic reasons and social inequality may have also played a role, but the primary reason was political.