Narrator: July 16, 1787. A group of representatives from almost every state (*cough* Rhode Island *cough*) gather to form the Great Compromise...
If the large states, like Virginia, won, they would have more power due to larger populations
We need to represent everyone, each state should have votes based on population!
No! Equal representation!
Small states, like New Jersey, wanted equal representation so they would have the same amount of power.
I wanna go home.
We can have a bicameral representation! The large states can have their House of Representatives, and the small states can have the Senate, with slightly more power. I'm so awesome, I'll call it the Great Compromise!
Then a dude named Robert Sherman came up with an idea that satisfied everyone.
Finally, the representatives agreed on something. (For now...)
I think we should blah blah blah blah lobster yadda yadda king slaves all others
WE MUST HAVE A
NO!!!
No! We should totally sort iut by state and allegiance with the people in charge and farmers and
You're being irrational, we have to
I'm never going home, am I?
The North wanted slaves to be counted for taxation but not as population, because if they were counted as population the South would have more power, though they owned people.
Why should you who owns other men get more power for your evil?
You cannot honestly expect us to pay for objects we own! We bought them, fair and square!
On the other hand, the South wanted slaves for population, which would boost their power, but not taxed, though they considered them property.
Also in July, 1787, everyone (except Rhode Island) were debating slaves and their votes and taxation.
The Native Americans
Unlike the Great Compromise, the 3/5ths Compromise was created by many people. However, there were still many who did not help make the decision, and had no choice. A few are pictured below.
The poor, or those who didn't own land
Slaves, African Americans, or pretty much anyone different (they were referred to as "all others")
Women in general, rich or poor.
And countless others
Eventually, they decided that slaves would count for 3/5ths of the population (a really random number). The Northerners only agreed to it because they knew that the Southerners would not agree on anything unless they got to keep slaves.
It wasn't much, but the 3/5ths Compromise solved at least one of the main Points of Contention, though there were many more left to argue about. America turned out okay. I guess compromise actually does work sometimes. Who knew?