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The original purpose of the race box was to count slaves as 3/5 of a person (for congressional representation). I don't think this is correct. While the vast m

The original purpose of the race box was to count slaves as 3/5 of a person (for congressional representation). I don't think this is correct. While the vast majority of slaves were black, some were not, and some blacks were free. Can you cite a source justifying your claim about "the original purpose" of the census?

yummyfajitas 16y ago
Article 1, section 2 of the US constitution. 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. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years,
- MichaelSalib 16y ago
  Alas, I do not see the word "race" in that excerpt at all. This cite does not appear to be relevant to your original claim.
  - deleted 16y ago
    [deleted]
  - yummyfajitas 16y ago
    "Indian" is a race. Second of all, as you can clearly see at racebox.org, the race box was originally used to count free people, indians, and slaves.
    - MichaelSalib 16y ago
      "Indian" is a race. It is? Are you sure it isn't shorthand for "native peoples that live in the US but are not citizens"? Do you think that children of indians and white folk who lived amongst the colonists would have been counted as indians in 1790? the race box was originally used to count free people, indians, and slaves. Perhaps I am missing it, but I don't see a "race box" in the 1790 form. And even if it was there, it still wouldn't change the fact that the constitutional text mandating census is phrased in terms of slaves and free people without any mention of color. So again, I can't see how your cite is relevant to your original claim.

yummyfajitas 16y ago

Article 1, section 2 of the US constitution. 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. The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years,

MichaelSalib 16y ago
Alas, I do not see the word "race" in that excerpt at all. This cite does not appear to be relevant to your original claim.
- deleted 16y ago
  [deleted]
- yummyfajitas 16y ago
  "Indian" is a race. Second of all, as you can clearly see at racebox.org, the race box was originally used to count free people, indians, and slaves.
  - MichaelSalib 16y ago
    "Indian" is a race. It is? Are you sure it isn't shorthand for "native peoples that live in the US but are not citizens"? Do you think that children of indians and white folk who lived amongst the colonists would have been counted as indians in 1790? the race box was originally used to count free people, indians, and slaves. Perhaps I am missing it, but I don't see a "race box" in the 1790 form. And even if it was there, it still wouldn't change the fact that the constitutional text mandating census is phrased in terms of slaves and free people without any mention of color. So again, I can't see how your cite is relevant to your original claim.