10/9/2012
New Jersey Plan: Background
• The New Jersey Plan was a proposal for the structure
of the United States Government presented by
William Paterson at the Constitutional Convention on
June 15, 1787.
• The plan was created in response to the Virginia Plan,
which called for two houses of Congress, both elected
based on 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.
New Jersey Plan: Representation
• Less populous (smaller) states refused Virginia
Plan.
• Didn’t want to lose power in Congress.
– How did Art. Of Conf. handle this issue?
• Each state would have SAME representation in
legislative branch (congress)
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10/9/2012
New Jersey Plan: Organization of
Government
• Keep Congress as is
• Create “executive” of multiple people
– Appointed by Congress
• Create judiciary appointed by “executives”
New Jersey Plan: Powers of
Government
• Favored stronger state governments
• Marginally increased powers of national
government
– Congress laws trump state laws
– Congress could collect taxes
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10/9/2012
New Jersey Plan: President
• Congress would appoint multiple “executives”
The Framer’s were….BAKERS…not
inventors…
The New Jersey Plan was like the
smaller populated states saying they
wanted oatmeal in their
Constitutional Cookie.
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10/9/2012
Great Compromise: Background
• The Connecticut Compromise (also
known as the Great Compromise
of 1787 or Sherman's
Compromise) was an agreement
that large and small states.
• defined the legislative structure
and representation that each state
would have under the United
States Constitution.
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10/9/2012
Definition of Compromise
• an agreement reached after both sides give
something up in order to get the most of what
they really want
Great Compromise
• Really only dealt with representation
• Created BICAMERAL legislature
– Lower House = House of Representatives
• Population Based
– Upper House = Senate
• All states get equal rep.
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10/9/2012
The Framer’s were….BAKERS…not
inventors…
The Great Compromise was like the
smaller populated states and the larger
populated states agreeing to putting
oatmeal and chocolate chips in their
Constitutional Cookie.
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