Which compromise stated that 3 out of every 5 slaves would be counted in the general population for representation purposes?

The 3/5's Compromise is significant because it addressed the contentious issue of how slaves would be counted in the population totals used for determining representation in Congress during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Southern states, which had large slave populations, wanted slaves to be counted fully to increase their representation, while Northern states, where slavery was less prevalent, opposed this, arguing that slaves were not citizens and should not be counted at all.

To resolve this disagreement, the compromise established that three out of every five slaves would be counted toward a state's population total for legislative representation and taxation purposes. This arrangement aimed to strike a balance between the interests of both the Northern and Southern states. As a result, the Southern states gained more influence in the House of Representatives, while Northern states secured some assurance that not all of the slave population would be counted for representation, thus acknowledging the complex dynamics of slavery in American politics at the time.

Understanding the implications of the 3/5's Compromise is essential, as it highlights the profound divisions in American society over slavery and foreshadows ongoing conflicts that would ultimately lead to the Civil War.