Question

Compose a four to five sentence paragraph that siscusses the new jersey plan and the verginia plan. in adduton, explain and evaluate the compromises made to dreate the new constitutional government.

Answer 1

The New Jersey Plan proposed a unicameral (one house) legislature where each state was equal, regardless of population size (this favored small states). This plan maintained the form of government under the Articles of Confederation while giving Congress the powers to tax and regulate commerce and foreign affairs. The Virginia Plan, on the other hand, proposed 3 branches of government (judicial, legislative (to be divided into the Senate and House of Representatives), and executive). States in this plan would be represented by population (bigger states had an advantage here because they had more people and would have more power). To compromise these two ideas, the Great Compromise (aka the Connecticut Compromise) created a dual system of congressional representation. In the House of Representatives each state would be assigned a number of seats in proportion to its population while in the Senate each state received the same amount of seats (2). Additionally, 3 branches of government (judicial, executive, and legislative) were created to balance power and create checks and balance between the other branches (keep them all from abusing power, regulate one another). This plan appeased both the small states and the large states because each got a fair system of representation (part of both plans were used to create the governmental structure of the United States).