What was the two thirds compromise?

The Two-Thirds Compromise was an agreement reached during the U.S. Constitutional Convention in 1787 that addressed how enslaved individuals would be counted for purposes of taxation and representation. It stipulated that for every five enslaved people, three would be counted when apportioning representation in Congress. This compromise sought to balance the interests of slaveholding states, which wanted greater representation, with those of free states. Ultimately, it reflected the contentious nature of slavery in the formation of the United States.