The 3/5 Compromise was an agreement made in 1787 when leaders were writing the U.S. Constitution. It decided how enslaved people would be counted for things like taxes and representation in Congress. Southern states wanted to count enslaved people in their population because it would give them more power in Congress. Northern states disagreed because enslaved people were not treated as citizens with rights. The compromise decided that every five enslaved people would count as three people, giving Southern states more seats in Congress and more influence in government.

This compromise wasn’t about helping enslaved people. It was a way for Southern states to keep slavery strong and protect their economic interests. By counting enslaved people without giving them freedom or rights, the South gained more power to make laws that supported slavery. This decision showed how deeply the country was divided over slavery and helped create tensions that later led to the Civil War. It’s a reminder of how some decisions in history prioritized power and money over human dignity and fairness.