Critique the following constitutional provision protecting the property of slave owners. What would be an advantage of this policy?
“Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a Term of Years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three fifths of all other Persons.”
(1 point)
Responses
States retain the power to decide what taxes will be paid to the federal government, thus increasing state autonomy.
States retain the power to decide what taxes will be paid to the federal government, thus increasing state autonomy.
The national government assesses taxation on an equal basis, regardless of state population size.
The national government assesses taxation on an equal basis, regardless of state population size.
Taxes are divided on an equal basis regardless of race, ensuring taxation is fair.
Taxes are divided on an equal basis regardless of race, ensuring taxation is fair.
Identifying enslaved people as property ensures that Southern slave states remain part of the Union.
Critique:
The constitutional provision protecting the property of slave owners is highly problematic and morally wrong. It perpetuates the institution of slavery, treating enslaved people as mere property and denying them their basic human rights. It is a violation of the principles of equality and freedom that should be upheld in a just society.
Advantage:
One potential advantage of this policy, from the perspective of slave owners and Southern states at the time, is that it helps to maintain the unity of the Union. By acknowledging and protecting the property rights of slave owners, the provision may have helped to prevent Southern states from seceding or breaking away from the United States. This could be seen as advantageous for maintaining the stability and territorial integrity of the country. However, it is important to note that this advantage was based on the preservation of an unjust and oppressive system of slavery.
a b c or d
Based on the information provided, the advantage of the policy would be option D: Identifying enslaved people as property ensures that Southern slave states remain part of the Union.
Critiquing the constitutional provision in question: The provision states that for the purpose of determining the apportionment of representatives and direct taxes among the states, the population is to be counted by adding the whole number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed. In addition to free persons, three-fifths of the total number of enslaved persons are also included.
Regarding the advantage of this policy, it is important to note that this provision is no longer in effect and was eventually abolished by the 13th Amendment to the United States Constitution. However, at the time when it was established, it served certain advantages for the slave-owning states:
1. Ensuring the inclusion of slave states in the Union: By counting three-fifths of the enslaved population, this provision gave the slave states greater representation in Congress and therefore a stronger political presence. This helped to prevent the southern states from feeling excluded or marginalized within the federal system.
Additionally, it is worth mentioning that while this provision allowed for the protection of the property rights of slave owners, it was inherently discriminatory and acknowledged the enslaved individuals as property rather than as human beings. This is a substantial criticism of the provision, as it perpetuated the institution of slavery and treated enslaved people as less than fully equal.
In summary, the advantage of the constitutional provision protecting the property of slave owners was that it helped to ensure the participation and representation of the slave states within the Union. However, it is important to recognize and critique the discriminatory nature of this provision as it perpetuated the institution of slavery and devalued the humanity of enslaved individuals.