Fill in the blank: The Constitution as the foundation of US legal system _____ slavery

Understand the Problem

The question is asking us to complete the statement regarding the Constitution's role in relation to slavery in the context of the US legal system. We need to identify how the Constitution treats or addresses the issue of slavery.

More Information

The Constitution initially protected slavery through several clauses, including the three-fifths compromise, which determined representation and taxation by counting enslaved individuals as three-fifths of a person.

Tips

A common mistake is assuming that the Constitution immediately abolished slavery, when in fact it initially protected it until later amendments.

Sources

• Historical Context: The Constitution and Slavery - gilderlehrman.org
• The Bill of Rights: A Brief History | American Civil Liberties Union - aclu.org