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.”
A. States retain the power to decide what taxes will be paid to the federal government, thus increasing state autonomy.
B. The national government assesses taxation on an equal basis, regardless of state population size.
C. Taxes are divided on an equal basis regardless of race, ensuring taxation is fair.
D. Identifying enslaved people as property ensures that Southern slave states remain part of the Union.
D. Identifying enslaved people as property ensures that Southern slave states remain part of the Union.
One advantage of this policy is that it helped to maintain the unity of the United States at a time when the issue of slavery was highly contentious. By protecting the property rights of slave owners and including enslaved individuals in the apportionment of representation and taxes, it provided a compromise that allowed Southern slave states to remain part of the Union. This helped to prevent secession and maintain the integrity of the country.