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Difficulty: MediumThe Constitutional Convention and Ratification Debates

Gouverneur Morris, remarks at the Constitutional Convention, July 11, 1787:

"Upon what principle is it that the slaves shall be computed in the representation? Are they men? Then make them citizens and let them vote. Are they property? Why then is no other property admitted into the computation? . . . The admission of blacks of the representation comes to this: that the inhabitant of Georgia and South Carolina who goes to the Coast of Africa, and in defiance of the most sacred laws of humanity tears away his fellow creatures from their dearest connections and damns them to the most cruel bondages, shall have more votes in a Government instituted for protection of the rights of mankind, than the Citizen of Pennsylvania or New Jersey who views with a laudable horror, so nefarious a practice."

The debate described in the excerpt most directly resulted in which of the following agreements during the Constitutional Convention?

  1. The agreement to count three-fifths of the enslaved population for representation and taxation.Answer
  2. B
    The agreement to grant each state equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House.
  3. C
    The decision to retain a unicameral legislature with equal votes for each state as structured under the Articles of Confederation.
  4. D
    The agreement between political factions to establish a national bank and assume state debts to strengthen the federal government.

Answer

The agreement to count three-fifths of the enslaved population for representation and taxation.
The correct answer is correct because Morris's speech specifically addresses whether enslaved people should count toward congressional representation. This conflict between Northern and Southern delegates was resolved by the Three-Fifths Compromise, which counted 60% of the enslaved population for both taxation and representation in the House of Representatives.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the historical stimulus provided in the question stem.
Gouverneur Morris is objecting to the proposal of counting enslaved individuals in the population calculations that would determine a state's representation in the federal government.
This establishes that the core conflict is between Northern delegates (who objected to counting enslaved people as representation units for slaveholders) and Southern delegates (who demanded their inclusion to increase their political power).
2
Recall the compromises reached at the 1787 Constitutional Convention regarding this issue.
The dispute was settled by the Three-Fifths Compromise.
This compromise designated that three-fifths of the enslaved population would be counted for both representation in the House of Representatives and for the apportionment of direct federal taxes.
3
Identify the option that correctly describes this outcome while ruling out distractors.
The correct option outlines the three-fifths ratio for representation and taxation, whereas the other options describe the Great Compromise, the Articles of Confederation structure, or Hamilton's post-ratification financial program.
This ensures the selected answer directly addresses the specific debate highlighted in the primary source.

Key Concept

The Three-Fifths Compromise and debates over slavery and representation at the Constitutional Convention.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

The Constitutional Convention and Ratification Debates

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