How were blacks accounted for in the Three-Fifths clause of the Constitution?
A) Free blacks were granted citizenship and given the right to vote.
B) Each state would have two black representatives in the Senate.
C) Slaves were counted as three-fifths of a person for tax and representation purposes.
D) The national government would have the power to abolish the slave trade at any time.
E) Three-fifths of the slave states would have to end slavery by 1824.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Three-Fifths clause of the Constitution stated that slaves would be counted as three-fifths of a person for tax and representation purposes. This means that for every five slaves, three would be counted towards the state's population for representation in the House of Representatives and for determining the number of electors for the Electoral College. The clause did not grant citizenship or voting rights to free blacks, nor did it allocate specific black representatives in the Senate. The national government did eventually have the power to abolish the slave trade, but this was not a direct result of the Three-Fifths clause. Finally, there was no provision for ending slavery by a specific date.

How Were Blacks Accounted for in the Three-Fifths Clause of the Constitution