Chapter 13

Virginia Plan

Before the convention began, James Madison had drafted a plan for a national government, the Virginia Plan. Ideas: It proposed a strong National Government, two governments would govern the people, the national government would have the power to make and enforce its own laws it would have the power to collect its own taxes, finally the Virginia Plan split the government into three branches, executive, judicial, legislative.

What is the difference between equal representation and proportional representation? Why did the small states want equal representation? Why did the large states want proportional representation?

Equal representation made everyone have an equal number of votes in small states and large states, proportional representation wanted the states to have their votes based on the population. Small states wanted equal representation because they did not want to be overpowered in votes by the larges states. The large states wanted proportional representation because it would mean they had more power.

Large States

Large states were states that had large populations. The delegates from large states thought it was unfair that equal representation was unfair. They though that states with larger populations should have more votes. They favored proportional representation.

Proportional Representation

Proportional representation was the idea that the large states favored. It said that the states with more people should have more votes.

Small States

Small states were states that had lower populations. They feared that states with large populations would control the National Government.

How did the Great Compromise solve the conflict about representation? What did the Small States and the Large States gain as a result of the Great Compromise?

The Great Compromise took ideas from both the Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan to make a compromise. Small States ideas incorporated: Membership in Senate would be based off of equal representation. Large States ideas incorporated: Membership in the House would be base on proportional representation.

Great Compromise

The Great Compromise, or Connecticut Compromise, had three parts. 1. Congress would have two houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives. 2. Membership in the House would be based on proportional representation. The House would have the power to develop all bills dealing with taxes and government spending. 3. Membership in the Senate would be based on equal representation. At first, the Senate only had power to accept or reject bills related to taxes and spending passed in the House. This power was later modified to let the Senate make changes to bills involving taxes and spending developed in the house.

What is the New Jersey Plan?

The New Jersey Plan supported equal representation, it supported: A weak National Government, only one house of government, and each state would have equal representation.

What was the Virginia Plan?

The Virginia Plan was the opposite of the New Jersey Plan. Its ideas: It proposed a strong National Government, two governments would govern the people, the national government would have the power to make and enforce its own laws it would have the power to collect its own taxes, finally the Virginia Plan split the government into three branches, executive, judicial, legislative.

Equal Representation

To avoid having the larger states control the National Government, the idea of equal representation was formed. It made sure that small states and larger states would have the same number of representatives.

New Jersey Plan

William Paterson from New Jersey led the group of small states to form a new plan for representation. It was called the New Jersey Plan. It followed the framework of the Articles of Confederation. Ideas: It favored a weak National Government, it called for only one house of congress, and each state would have equal representation.