Annotated Bibliography

Primary Sources
(US Const. amend. XIV, sec. 2)
This source helps illustrate how the delegates took into consideration the population of
slaves and their representation and included it into the U.S. Constitution to ensure that the
representation in states with higher numbers of slaves and states with lower number of
slaves was as equal as possible.
"Constitutional Convention." Britannica School, Encyclopædia Britannica, 19 Sep.
2013. school.eb.com/levels/middle/article/Constitutional-Convention/394809#. Accessed 25
Feb. 2018.
At the Constitutional Convention of 1787, state delegates met to discuss the United States
Constitution. This source by Britannica School, helps explain how each delegate came to
agreement on how slaves were represented in the U.S. This source also indicates who
proposed the idea of the ⅗ compromise and how it was approved to be placed into the U.S
constitution.
Secondary Sources
African American Registry. “The “Three-Fifths Compromise.” African American Registry.
2013, https://aaregistry.org/story/the-three-fifths-compromise/. Accessed 20 October 2017.
This source establishes how the Three-Fifths Compromise was created by James Wilson.
This was to gain support for a new organization in the government. The Three-Fifths
Compromise guaranteed how the South would be represented by the House of
Representatives.
Build Nation. “Slave Trade Act of 1794.” Build Nation. 12 February 2016.
https://buildnationblog.wordpress.com/2016/02/12/slave-trade-act-of-1794/. Accessed 20
October 2017.
This source revealed how the Slave Trade Act of 1794 was a law by the United States
Congress. The Act proves how they traded or sold slaves by ships on seas because it was
a way for slaves’ owners.
Costly, Andrew. “The Constitution and Slavery.” Constitutional Rights Foundation, 10 Jan. 2004,
www.crf-usa.org/black-history-month/the-constitution-and-slavery. to make an extent amount of
money.
This source describes how the delegates went through the process of reforming the
Constitution and the U.S. government. It explains how the dispute arose and why there
was conflict between the Northern and Southern states over slaves.
Teaching American History.org. “Act to Prohibit the importation of Slaves.” Teaching American
History.org. 2006-2017, http://teachingamericanhistory.org/library/document/act-to-prohibit-the-
importation-of-slaves/. Accessed 20 October 2017.
 This source contradicts how the act of prohibiting the importation of slaves is banned and
not allowed in the U.S. This explains how people should not be sold or traded by boat
transportation or ships, specifically black people because it disrespects them as if they
were nothing; non-existent.
Laws. Constitution. “Three-Fifths Compromise.” Laws. Constitution. 2017,
https://constitution.laws.com/three-fifths-compromise. Accessed 10 January 2018.
This source contributes to the Three-Fifths Compromise because it reveals the laws and
regulations that were enforced during the 1700s. The Three-Fifths Compromise states
that all slaves would be counted as 3/5ths of a person. The source also reveals how the
Three-Fifths Compromise was established by James Wilson and Roger Sherman, both
were delegates of the Constitutional Convention of 1787.
Louisiana, University Of. “The Slavery Compromises.” UL-Lafayette Computing Support Services,
University of Louisiana at Lafayette, 1 Feb. 2001,
www.ucs.louisiana.edu/~ras2777/amgov/slavery2.html.
This source gives clear context about what the rate of slavery was like between the
Northern and Southern states during the 1700s. The source gives, in great detail, how
many delegates felt about slavery and why they voted either, for representation of slaves
or against representation of slaves. While reading the source, bothe the Southern and
Northern states give their reasons for why they felt whether or not slaves should be a part
of the population. The source highlighted the opposing viewpoints of the North and
South.
Simba, Milik. “The Three-Fifths Clause of the United States Constitution (1787).” BlackPast.org. 2017-
2017. http://www.blackpast.org/aah/three-fifths-clause-united-states-constitution-1787. Accessed
16 January 2018.
This source reveals how African Americans as individuals are considered three-fifths of a
person or three-fifths of a U.S. citizen. The Three-fifths law declared enslaved black
people in a state would be totaled as three-fifths of the number of white people of that
state. The Three-Fifths Compromise was part of compromises approved by the
constitutional convention of 1787.
Alchin, Linda. “Slave Trade Compromise.” Government and Constitution.org. June 2015,
http://www.government-and-constitution.org/us-constitution/slave-trade-compromise.htm.
Accessed 30 January 2018.
This source states how on 1788 a law was passed, defending the portion of the
constitution that counted slaves as three-fifths of a person. During the Constitutional
Convention of 1787, many delegates were considering how to incorporate the
representation of each state. The Southern states were very fearful that they would be
overwhelmed in the House of Representatives by the ‘large’ states. Massachusetts,
Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
Constitution Center. 12 February 2013, https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/the-three-fifths-compromise-
rationalizing-the-irrational/. Accessed 31 January 2018.
 This source explains how the Southern states were South Carolina, Maryland, Virginia,
and Georgia. In 1787 about ninety percent of slaves lived in the South and accounted for
about thirty percent of the Southern population. The opposing sides of the argument
needed to make ends to enable the convention to continue, therefore a compromise was
needed.
Applestein, Donald. “The Three-Fifths Compromise: rationalizing the irrational.” National Constitution
Center. 12 February 2013, https://constitutioncenter.org/blog/the-three-fifths-compromise-
rationalizing-the-irrational/. Accessed 31 January 2018.
This source states how on 1788 a law was passed, defending the portion of the
constitution that counted slaves as three-fifths of a person. During the Constitutional
Convention of 1787, many delegates were considering how to incorporate the
representation of each state. The Southern states were very fearful that they would be
overwhelmed in the House of Representatives by the ‘large’ states. Massachusetts,
Pennsylvania, and Virginia.
“What Was the Issue about the Three Fifths Compromise?” Enotes.com, Enotes.com

In this source, it presented why the Three-Fifths Compromise was enacted. Also why
Northern and Southern States came into conflict. When the articles of confederation
passed, each state was given one vote, regardless of size. We counted them as bodies to
gain more Congressional seats in the South which put the Southern states on a more equal
footing with the North.