once the delegates settled the great compromise, what issue did they tackle next?

Once the delegates settled the Great Compromise, they next tackled the issue of the Three-Fifths Compromise , which addressed how enslaved people would be counted for purposes of representation and taxation.

Once the Delegates Settled the Great Compromise, What Issue Did They

Tackle Next?

Quick Scoop

After resolving the Great Compromise (also called the Connecticut Compromise), the Constitutional Convention turned to another disputed question: how to count enslaved people when determining a state’s population in Congress and for taxes.

This debate led to the Three-Fifths Compromise , which decided that three out of every five enslaved persons would be counted toward a state’s population total.

What Was the Great Compromise?

The Great Compromise settled a major conflict between large and small states over representation in the new Congress.

• Large states wanted representation based on population (Virginia Plan).

• Small states wanted equal representation for each state (New Jersey Plan).

• The compromise: a bicameral legislature with
  • House of Representatives: based on population
  • Senate: equal representation (two senators per state).

Once that was settled, delegates could move on to the next big controversy: slavery and representation.

The Next Issue: The Three-Fifths Compromise

The immediate next issue the delegates tackled was how enslaved people would be counted in each state’s population.

• Southern states wanted enslaved people fully counted for representation (to increase their seats in the House) but not fully for taxation.

• Northern states generally opposed counting enslaved people for representation, since they were denied rights and freedom.

The Three-Fifths Compromise answer:

• Each enslaved person would count as three-fifths of a person when calculating a state’s population for representation and direct taxes.

This was a political deal that boosted the political power of slaveholding states while entrenching the system of slavery in the new Constitution.

Why This Matters Today

Historians often point out that the Great Compromise and the Three-Fifths Compromise are linked:

• The Great Compromise decided how representation would be structured.

• The Three-Fifths Compromise decided who would be counted in that structure, especially in relation to slavery.

These decisions shaped:

• The balance of power between free and slave states in early U.S. politics.

• The long road toward the Civil War and later constitutional changes, including the 13th and 14th Amendments.

Simple Answer for Class or Quiz

If you’re answering a quiz or worksheet that asks:

“Once the delegates settled the Great Compromise, what issue did they tackle next?”

The best choice is:

The Three-Fifths Compromise. ✅

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.