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Defending the Constitution: The ‘Three-Fifths Compromise’ Was Not Based on Racism

Defending the Constitution: The ‘Three-Fifths Compromise’ Was Not Based on Racism
A replica of the U.S. Constitution. WikiImages/Pixabay
Rob Natelson
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Commentary
This is the second in a series of essays answering defamatory charges leveled against the U.S. Constitution. The first in the series addressed the allegation that the Constitution discriminated against women. In fact, as that essay showed, the framers took pains to ensure the document was gender-neutral.
Rob Natelson
Rob Natelson
Author
Robert G. Natelson, a former constitutional law professor who is senior fellow in constitutional jurisprudence at the Independence Institute in Denver, authored “The Original Constitution” (4th ed., 2025). He is a contributor to the Heritage Foundation’s “Heritage Guide to the Constitution.”
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