The Pennsylvania Delegation and the Peculiar Institution: The Two Faces of the Keystone State

Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 112, No. 1, January 1988

23 Pages Posted: 13 Aug 2009

See all articles by Paul Finkelman

Paul Finkelman

Gratz College; Albany Law School

Date Written: 1988

Abstract

This article discusses the role of the Pennsylvania delegation to the constitutional convention and its role in the protection of slavery in the constitution itself. Professor Finkelman cites the example of Pennsylvania’s gradual emancipation statute as a critical compromise which led to the protection of slavery. While some in the delegation, like Gouverneur Morris, were staunch opponents of slavery, many of the compromises that they suggested became the very keys to the incorporation of the slavery related clauses.

Keywords: Pennsylvania delegation, constitutional convention, slavery

Suggested Citation

Finkelman, Paul, The Pennsylvania Delegation and the Peculiar Institution: The Two Faces of the Keystone State (1988). Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, Vol. 112, No. 1, January 1988, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1447496

Paul Finkelman (Contact Author)

Gratz College ( email )

7605 Old York Road
Melrose Park, PA 19027
United States

Albany Law School

NY
United States

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