Why is it that nobody ever gets the Three Fifths Compromise right? This was a compromise during the Constitutional Convention made necessary by the desire of BOTH the Northern and Southern states to fully include slaves in the census counts, but for different purposes.
The Constitution lays out two purposes for the decennial census, only one of which still is applicable. In addition to the apportionment of members of the House that is still done today, the census was also used to determine the taxes levied upon each state. Taxes were required to be levied on states in proportion to state population.
The Southern states, as stated in the article, indeed wanted slaves counted in the census, but only for representation and not for taxation. The Northern states also wanted slaves counted, but for the opposite purpose — only for taxation, not for representation. The Three Fifths Compromise was implemented to allow slaves to be counted for both purposes, but only at three fifths of the actual number of slaves.
“the census was also used to determine the taxes levied upon each state. Taxes were required to be levied on states in proportion to state population.”
What taxes were levied upon the States by the Federal Government?