Lincoln Discussion Symposium
3/5 Clause in the U.S. Constitution - Printable Version

+- Lincoln Discussion Symposium (https://rogerjnorton.com/LincolnDiscussionSymposium)
+-- Forum: Lincoln Discussion Symposium (/forum-1.html)
+--- Forum: Other (/forum-10.html)
+--- Thread: 3/5 Clause in the U.S. Constitution (/thread-3802.html)



3/5 Clause in the U.S. Constitution - My Name Is Kate - 08-10-2018 03:44 AM

Here is an interesting article about why the 3/5 clause concerning slaves was introduced into the Constitution. It was actually intended to be anti-slavery, rather than an arbitrary racist measurement of the worth of black persons.

https://americanvision.org/3918/the-original-constitution-and-the-three-fifths-myth/

This article states that free blacks were counted on a par with whites for purposes of apportionment, even in the original Constitution.

https://www.heritage.org/constitution/content/pdf/lesson-19.pdf


RE: 3/5 Clause in the U.S. Constitution - LincolnMan - 08-10-2018 07:29 AM

Thank you for sharing this. It is very helpful in understanding the matter. And—-I’ve never heard it explained this way.


RE: 3/5 Clause in the U.S. Constitution - L Verge - 08-10-2018 09:48 AM

I agree with Bill. The first article, to me, is much clearer than the second. When I read the heritage article, as a former teacher, my first thought was that I hoped the students were in an honors or AP course because the article and the lesson plans were pretty deep.

As for the first article, I never remember any of my instructors describing the 3/5 Clause so concisely and so easy to understand. Thanks much for sharing.