Why did Northern states fight against having enslaved people counted as full citizens?(1 point)
Responses
Northern states viewed enslaved people as property, thus they believed that enslaved people should not be counted as full citizens.
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The South would benefit greatly from having a high population for high political power in the House of Representatives.
Northern states fought to have enslaved people counted as full citizens.
Northern states knew that they would politically benefit if their population was lower than Southern states.
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Northern states fought against having enslaved people counted as full citizens because they viewed enslaved people as property, thus they believed that enslaved people should not be counted as full citizens. Additionally, they knew that the South would benefit greatly from having a high population for high political power in the House of Representatives, so they did not want to give the South even more political advantages.
The correct answer is:
Northern states viewed enslaved people as property, thus they believed that enslaved people should not be counted as full citizens.
Here's how to arrive at this answer:
During the time leading up to the American Civil War, the issue of slavery was a major point of contention between the Northern and Southern states. One of the key debates surrounding slavery was whether enslaved people should be counted as full citizens for the purposes of determining a state's population.
The Northern states argued that enslaved people should not be counted as full citizens because they viewed them as property rather than individuals with rights and freedoms. These states believed that counting enslaved people as full citizens would grant more political power and representation to slaveholding Southern states, as their population would be significantly higher due to the enslaved population.
On the other hand, the South strongly advocated for enslaved people to be counted as full citizens because it would increase their representation in the House of Representatives and enhance their political power. They argued that the population numbers should include enslaved people, which would give them an advantage in Congress.
Therefore, the Northern states fought against having enslaved people counted as full citizens based on the belief that enslaved people were property and should not be treated as individuals with full citizenship rights.