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Difficulty: MediumConstitutional Compromises

"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?"
—Gouverneur Morris, 1787

Which of the following constitutional provisions was agreed upon to resolve the debate described in the passage?

  1. Seats in the House of Representatives and direct taxes would be apportioned among the states by adding to the whole number of free persons three-fifths of all other persons.Answer
  2. B
    The national legislature would consist of two chambers, with one based on state population and the other providing equal representation for each state.
  3. C
    All bills for raising revenue would originate in the House of Representatives, while the Senate would have the power to propose amendments.
  4. D
    The national government was prohibited from levying direct taxes on the states, leaving taxation authority entirely to state legislatures.

Answer

Seats in the House of Representatives and direct taxes would be apportioned among the states by adding to the whole number of free persons three-fifths of all other persons.
The quote by Gouverneur Morris directly addresses the debate over whether enslaved people should be counted in a state's population for determining representation in the House of Representatives. The compromise reached was the Three-Fifths Compromise, which stated that congressional representation and direct taxes would be apportioned by adding three-fifths of the enslaved population ('all other persons') to the number of free persons.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Analyze the passage to identify the central issue of the debate.
Gouverneur Morris's quote questions the logic of counting enslaved individuals for representation in the legislature while denying them citizenship and voting rights.
Identifying the core subject of the quote (slavery and representation) is necessary to determine the relevant constitutional debate.
2
Identify the historical compromise at the Constitutional Convention that resolved this issue.
The dispute over how to calculate population for representation and taxation was settled by the Three-Fifths Compromise.
This connects the debate to the correct compromise.
3
Match the correct compromise to its corresponding constitutional provision.
The provision counting free persons and three-fifths of all other persons is the correct description of the Three-Fifths Compromise.
This determines the correct option among the choices.

Key Concept

The Three-Fifths Compromise resolved the conflict between Northern and Southern states at the Constitutional Convention by determining how enslaved populations would be counted for congressional representation and direct taxation.
Estimated Time:1m 30s
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Topics

Constitutional Compromises

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