The Two Plans for the Federal Government

During the Constitutional Convention, two key plans were proposed for the federal government: the New Jersey Plan and the Virginia Plan. These plans had significant differences in terms of representation and power distribution.

New Jersey Plan:

The New Jersey Plan, put forward by William Paterson, advocated for equal representation among states in the government. This meant that regardless of a state's size or population, each state would have the same influence and power within the government. This was particularly favored by smaller states who were concerned about being overshadowed by larger states with more population.

Virginia Plan:

On the other hand, the Virginia Plan, presented by Edmund Randolph, proposed a system where representation in the government would be proportional to the population of each state. This meant that larger, more populous states would have more representation and authority within the government. The Virginia Plan was favored by states with higher populations as it would give them more influence and control over decision-making processes.

These two plans sparked debates and discussions among the delegates at the Constitutional Convention, highlighting the differing priorities and perspectives of the states. Ultimately, a compromise was reached with the creation of the Great Compromise, which combined elements of both plans to establish a bicameral legislature with one house based on population (House of Representatives) and the other with equal representation for each state (Senate).