The Constitution and Three-Fifths Compromise
The Constitutional Convention of 1787 was held from the months of May to September, at the Philadelphia State House. Representatives from twelve of the thirteen colonies attended, to debate a wide range of constitutional provisions from the Bill of Rights to the power of taxation. The issue on the mind of almost every representative was what kind of government was best for a republic? Certain states submitted plans for a republican government, however, the most popular was the plan submitted by the Virginia delegation lead by James Madison. The Virginia Plan called for a government with three distinct branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. Using Montesquieu's theory of checks and balances it was intended to ensure that no group could have too much authority, which could lead to tyranny. Although the delegates supported most of the proposed principles of the Virginia Plan, they were in disagreement in certain areas of the plan . The highest debate concerned the section on representation in the legislative branch. The Virginia Plan proposed that representation in the legislatives houses would be based on population of the state. Small states objected saying that it would leave them helpless in a government dominated by
Even though the Virginia Plan was chosen to be the skeleton of the new national government, alternative proposals were continually drafted by delegates, just on a smaller scale. Wilson suggested that a "three-fifths rule be adopted. This idea angered the delegates who represented the smaller colonies, because if that plan were to be established the smaller states would not have an equal vote as a bigger state. Although the delegates supported most of the proposed principles of the Virginia Plan, they were in disagreement in certain areas of the plan . Representatives from twelve of the thirteen colonies attended, to debate a wide range of constitutional provisions from the Bill of Rights to the power of taxation. Provision is already made in Connecicut for abolishing it. By the three-fifths compromise it was agreed that three fifths of the number of slaves would be counted both for representation and for levying direct taxes. Representatives of Northern states felt the exact opposite, and argued that slaves should be counted when determining the state's share of taxes and not counted in representation because they are considered to be property. The Virginia Plan called for a government with three distinct branches: legislative, executive, and judicial.
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