Question

base your answers to questions 2 and 3 on the passage below and on your knowledge of social stud... by adopting the three-fifths clause, prolonging the import slave trade, and providing a fugitive-slave clause, the constitution defended slavery. . . . source: alan taylor, american revolutions: a continental history, 1750–1804, w. w. norton & company, 2016 2 why were the writers of the united states constitution willing to compromise on these issues? (1) to gain southern support for ratification (2) to make approval of the bill of rights easier (3) to end slavery after 1808 (4) to give northern states an advantage in the house of representatives 3 what was the primary purpose of the three-fifths clause? (1) to quickly end the importation of slaves (2) to help determine a state’s congressional representation (3) to provide for the return of escaped slaves (4) to ban slavery in the western territories u.s. hist. & gov’t. – june ’24 2

Explanation:

Question 2

To solve this, we analyze each option:

• Option (1): The Southern states had large slave populations. Compromises on slavery (like three - fifths clause, slave trade, fugitive - slave clause) were to get Southern support for the Constitution's ratification.
• Option (2): The Bill of Rights was added after the Constitution. These compromises were about the Constitution's ratification, not the Bill of Rights' approval. Eliminate.
• Option (3): The compromise didn't aim to end slavery in 1808. The slave trade was prolonged, and the three - fifths clause defended slavery. Eliminate.
• Option (4): The three - fifths clause actually gave Southern states (with more slaves) an advantage in the House, not Northern. Eliminate.

Analyze each option:

• Option (1): The three - fifths clause was not about ending slave importation. The slave trade compromise was separate. Eliminate.
• Option (2): The three - fifths clause counted each slave as three - fifths of a person for determining a state's population. Congressional representation (in the House) is based on population. So its primary purpose was to help determine a state's congressional representation.
• Option (3): The fugitive - slave clause was for returning escaped slaves, not the three - fifths clause. Eliminate.
• Option (4): The three - fifths clause had nothing to do with banning slavery in western territories. Eliminate.

Answer:

(1) to gain Southern support for ratification

Question 3