During the 1787 Constitutional Convention, two plans were drafted that
affected the final draft of the Constitution.
LEARNING OBJECTIVE [ edit ]
Compare the Virginia Plan with the Jersey Plan
KEY POINTS [ edit ]
The Virginia Plan proposed a legislative branch consisting of two chambers
(bicameral legislature). Each of the states would be represented in proportion to their
population. States with a large population, like Virginia, would thus have more representatives
than smaller states.
The New Jersey Plan, on the other hand, proposed aunicameral legislature in which each state,
regardless of size, would have one vote, as under the Articles of Confederation.
The Connecticut Compromise established a bicameral legislature with the U.S. House of
Representatives apportioned by population as desired by the Virginia Plan and the Senate
granted equal votes per state as desired by the New Jersey Plan: combining the two plans in a
workable whole.
TERMS [ edit ]
unicameral legislature
A legislative body with only one parliamentary chamber. States in which wealthy elites were less
politically powerful enacted constitutions with unicameral legislatures.
bicameral legislature
A legislative body consisting of two chambers, or houses. The states in which wealthy elites were
politically dominant enacted constitutions with bicameral legislatures, with the upper house
serving as a check on the popular assembly.
Connecticut Compromise
The Connecticut Compromise (also known as the Great Compromise of 1787 or Sherman's
Compromise) was an agreement that large and small states reached during the Constitutional
Convention of 1787. It, in part, defined the legislative structure and representation that each state
would have under the United States Constitution.
Give us feedback on this content: FULL TEXT [ edit ]
During the 1787 Constitutional Convention two plans were drafted that affected the final
draft of the Constitution. The Constitutional Convention gathered in Philadelphia to revise
the Articles of Confederation. The Virginia delegation took the initiative to frame the debate
by immediately drawing up and presenting a proposal known as the Virginia Plan, James
Madison is given chief credit for this proposal. The New Jersey Plan was a counter­proposal
for the structure of thefederal government presented by William Paterson. The New Jersey
plan was created in response to the Virginia Plan, which called for two houses of Congress
both elected withapportionment according to population. The less populous states were
adamantly opposed to giving most of the control of the national government to the more
populous states and so proposed an alternative plan that would have kept the one­vote­per­
state representation from the Articles of Confederation under one legislative body. The scope
of the resolutions succeeded in broadening the debate to encompass fundamental revisions
to the structure and powers of the national government. The resolutions proposed, for
example, three new federal branches (legislative, executive and judicial).
One contentious issue facing the convention was the manner in which large and small states
would be represented in the legislature, whether by equal representation for each state,
regardless of its size and population, or proportionate to population, with larger states
having more votes than less­populous states.
The Virginia Plan proposed a legislative branch consisting of two chambers (bicameral
legislature). The dual principles of rotation in office and recall would be applied to the lower
house of the national legislature. Each of the states would be represented in proportion to
their population. States with a large population, like Virginia, would thus have more
representatives than smaller states. Large states supported this plan and smaller states
generally opposed it.
The Virginia Plan
The structure of the Virginia Plan.
In addition to dealing with legislative representation, the Virginia Plan called for a national
government of three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. Members of one of the two
legislative chambers would be elected by the people and members of that chamber would
then elect the second chamber from nominations submitted by state legislatures. The
executive would be chosen by the legislative branch. Terms of office were unspecified, but the
executive and members of the popularly elected legislative chamber could not be elected for
an undetermined time afterward. The legislative branch would have the power to negate
state laws if they were deemed incompatible with the articles of union. The concept of checks
and balances was embodied in a provision that legislative acts could be vetoed by a council
composed of the executive and selected members of the judicial branch.
The New Jersey Plan, on the other hand, proposed a unicameral legislature in which each
state, regardless of size, would have one vote, as under the Articles of Confederation. The
plan proposed:
The New Jersey Plan
Structure of the New Jersey plan.
The Articles of Confederation should be amended.
In addition to the existing powers under the Articles of Confederation, Congress gained
authority to raise funds via tariffs and other measures and to
regulate interstatecommerce and commerce with other nations. Cases involving these
powers would still be heard by state courts unless appealed to the federal judiciary.
Congress would be given the authority to collect taxes from states based on the number of
free inhabitants and 3/5ths of slaves in that state.
Congress would elect a federal executive, consisting of multiple people, who cannot be re­
elected and can be recalled by Congress when requested by the majority of executives of
the states.
The federal judiciary is represented by a Supreme Tribunal, appointed by the federal
executive, which has authority in federal impeachment cases and as the appeal of last
resort in cases dealing with national matters (such as treaties).
The Articles of Confederation and treaties are the supreme law of the land. The federal
executive is authorized to use force to compel non­compliant states to observe the law.
A policy of admission of new states should be established.
A singular policy for naturalization should be established.
A citizen of one state could be prosecuted under the laws of another state in which the
crime was committed.
Variations also proposed that state governments must be bound by oath to support the
Articles, that a policy should be established to handle territorial disputes, and that the
offenses deemed as treason should be defined.
Ultimately, the Virginia Plan was used, but some ideas from the New Jersey Plan were
added. Perhaps the most important of these was introduced by the Connecticut Compromise,
which established a bicameral legislature with the U.S. House of Representatives,
apportioned by population as desired by the Virginia Plan, and the Senate, granted equal
votes per state as desired by the New Jersey Plan.