Skip to content

The Constitution of 1787: The Three-Fifths Clause

Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons, including those bound to Service for a term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three-fifths of all other Persons.

ARTICLE I, SECTION 2, CLAUSE 3
(Read the clause in context here.)