Which clause prohibits banning slave trade before 1808?

• A. Three-Fifths Clause
• B. Slave Trade Clause
• C. Direct Taxes Clause
• D. Fugitive Slave Clause

Answer: (B)

This question hinges on how the Constitution handles the importation of enslaved people and when Congress could act on it. The clause in question says that the migration or importation of such persons shall not be prohibited by Congress prior to the year 1808, though a tax or duty may be imposed on importation. In other words, it prevents Congress from banning the slave trade before 1808, delaying any prohibition for twenty years and allowing trade to continue until that date.

That makes this the best answer because other clauses address different issues: the Three-Fifths Clause deals with counting enslaved people for representation and taxation, not the importation ban; the Direct Taxes Clause concerns how direct taxes are apportioned among states; and the Fugitive Slave Clause outlines the return of escaped slaves, not the regulation or timing of importation.