The New Jersey Plan and Equal Representation

The New Jersey Plan

The New Jersey Plan was a proposal presented during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. The plan was put forward by William Paterson, a delegate from New Jersey. It was in contrast to the Virginia Plan, which proposed a bicameral legislature with representation based on population.

Equal Representation

The New Jersey Plan supported the idea of equal representation. This meant that each state would have an equal number of votes in the legislative body, regardless of its population size. This was in direct opposition to the Virginia Plan, which favored representation based on population.

Why Equal Representation?

The Plan of New Jersey supported the idea of equal representation because it believed that all states, regardless of size or population, should have an equal say in the governance of the new nation. It argued that giving more power to the states with larger populations would lead to unfair dominance and marginalization of smaller states.

Impact and Legacy

Although the New Jersey Plan was ultimately not adopted in its original form, its principles of equal representation and protection of smaller states' rights influenced the final structure of the United States Congress. Today, the U.S. Senate operates on the basis of equal representation, with each state having two senators regardless of population.