The Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan in the Constitutional Convention
Overview
During the Constitutional Convention of 1787, two competing proposals emerged for the structure of the legislative branch: the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan. These plans represented the conflicting interests of larger states seeking more representation based on their population and smaller states advocating for equal representation.
Virginia Plan
The Virginia Plan, proposed by James Madison, called for a bicameral legislature where representation in both houses would be based on the population of each state. This meant that larger states such as Virginia and Pennsylvania would have more representatives compared to smaller states like Delaware and New Jersey.
New Jersey Plan
In contrast, the New Jersey Plan, put forward by William Paterson, favored equal representation for all states in the legislature. Each state would have an equal number of representatives, regardless of its population size. This was more advantageous for smaller states as it ensured that their voices would not be marginalized by larger states.
Compromise
The debate between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan ultimately led to the Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise. This compromise resulted in a bicameral legislature with the House of Representatives based on population (following the Virginia Plan) and the Senate with equal representation for all states (in line with the New Jersey Plan).
In conclusion, the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan reflected the competing interests of states during the Constitutional Convention, with the former advocating for representation based on population and the latter supporting equal representation for all states. The compromise reached in the Great Compromise contributed to the balance of power between large and small states in the newly-formed United States government.