The Philadelphia Convention: Where Ben Franklin Invented Counting Slaves (and other Fun Facts, Maybe)
You might be thinking, "The Philadelphia Convention? Wasn't that where a bunch of dudes in powdered wigs got together and invented America?" Well, you're not wrong. But let's be honest, those wigs must have gotten itchy, and all that talk about liberty probably made someone crave a good rum punch. So, what happened when the Founding Fathers weren't busy high-fiving each other over throwing some tea into a harbor? Let's talk about the not-so-pretty part: slavery.
 |
| What Decisions Were Made At The Philadelphia Convention Involving Slaves And Slavery |
The Three-Fifths Compromise: Counting Folks (with a Side of Awkward)
Imagine you're trying to divide up a pizza amongst friends. Some folks are big eaters, some are tiny peckers. The Founding Fathers had a similar dilemma, but instead of pizza, it was representation in Congress. Southern states had lots of slaves, who obviously couldn't vote, but they still wanted them to count for something (because, you know, free labor and all that). The result? The Three-Fifths Compromise. Essentially, they said, "Hey, for the purposes of figuring out how many representatives each state gets, let's count each enslaved person as... three-fifths of a whole person." Awkward? Absolutely. A logistical nightmare? Probably. But hey, at least it kept the colonies from throwing metaphorical pizza slices at each other.
The Fugitive Slave Clause: Runaway Slaves and a Whole Lotta Nope
Here's another gem from the convention: The Fugitive Slave Clause. This basically said that any enslaved person who escaped to a free state had to be returned to their enslaver. Not exactly the kind of hospitality manual you'd find at a Marriott. This clause further solidified the institution of slavery and created a tense situation between Northern and Southern states.
The Slave Trade: "Yo, Can We Maybe Not Enslave More People?"
Okay, so they didn't exactly phrase it that way, but there was some discussion about the slave trade. In the end, they decided on a 20-year grace period before the federal government could regulate it. Not exactly a shining moment, but baby steps, right? (Although, considering it took another 87 years to actually abolish slavery, maybe those weren't such big steps after all.)
Tip: Reread complex ideas to fully understand them.
So, What Does This All Mean?
The decisions made at the Philadelphia Convention regarding slavery were a reflection of the deep divisions within the new nation. While the framers couldn't abolish the institution entirely, they did lay the groundwork for future debates and the eventual demise of slavery. It wasn't a glorious moment, but it's a crucial part of American history.
Frequently Asked Questions (that nobody probably asked but hey)
How to feel good about the decisions made regarding slavery at the Philadelphia Convention?
Unfortunately, there's no real answer to this. It wasn't a shining moment in American history.
QuickTip: Reading carefully once is better than rushing twice.
How to make a time machine and go back to convince the Founding Fathers to abolish slavery?
 |
While that sounds like a great plot for a movie (patent pending!), time travel probably isn't in the cards.
How to learn more about slavery in America?
Tip: Reading on mobile? Zoom in for better comfort.
There are tons of fantastic books, documentaries, and museums dedicated to this important topic. Crack open a history book and get schooled!
How to make a difference in the fight for racial equality today?
Educate yourself, support organizations working for racial justice, and speak out against discrimination. Every little bit helps!
Tip: Use the structure of the text to guide you.
How to make a delicious pizza (because seriously, all this talk of dividing things up is making me hungry)?
Now you're speaking my language! Here's my grandma's secret recipe (but don't tell anyone I shared it!).
 |
