Government Rival Plans at the Constitutional Convention

What were the rival plans of the government proposed at the convention, such as the Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan?

Can you explain the differences between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan?

The Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan were proposed during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. What were their differences?

The Virginia Plan proposed representation based on population, while the New Jersey Plan suggested equal representation for all states. Can you explain how these two plans catered to the interests of larger and smaller states?

The Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan were two rival schemes proposed during the Constitutional Convention of 1787, concerning the structure of the national government of the United States.

The Virginia Plan favored larger states, proposing a bicameral (two-house) legislature where representation would be based on population. This meant that states with larger populations would have more representatives in each chamber. On the other hand, the New Jersey Plan was introduced in favor of smaller states. It suggested a unicameral (one-house) legislature where each state, regardless of size or population, would have equal representation.

These plans reflected the divergent interests of the larger and smaller states respectively. Ultimately, the Great Compromise was reached, which created a two-house Congress with representation based on population in the House of Representatives and equal representation of states in the Senate.