In what way did southern states try to gain more power during the constitutional convention? a. they wanted export taxes on northern goods to increase the balance of trade. b. they tried to have slaves counted in their population to gain more votes in congress. c. they argued that the southern states needed more economic support than northern states. d. they argued that their economic power should give them more representation in congress.

The correct answer is B). They tried to have slaves counted in their population to gain more votes in Congress.

The Southern states tried to gain more power during The Constitutional Convention when they tried to have slaves counted in their population to gain more votes in Congress.

They were looking to get a leeway in representation. The solution they found was the Three-Fifths Compromise. The Three-Fifths Compromise was presented at the Constitutional Convention of Philadelphia in 1787.

A problematic discussion was about the apportionment, which is a term to name the method of allotting the seats to be occupied in the House of Representatives based in the number of people. The solution came from the Delegates Roger Sherman and James Wilson who suggested the Three-Fifths Compromise. This proposed the count of “every five slaves as three individuals in terms of the apportionment of representation and taxes.”