Unit 5 · Slides 20–22
🗳️ Virginia Plan vs. New Jersey Plan
The two competing plans at the Constitutional Convention. Neither passed as written — the Great Compromise combined them.
Quick Summary
At the start of the Constitutional Convention, large states pushed the Virginia Plan and small states countered with the New Jersey Plan. Their fight was really about ONE question: should representation in Congress be based on population, or should every state be equal?
The Compromise That Combined Them
Roger Sherman's Great Compromise took the best of both: the HOUSE uses the Virginia Plan's proportional representation, while the SENATE uses the New Jersey Plan's equal representation (2 per state). This bicameral structure is still how Congress works today.
Memory Trick
- •Virginia = 'Vast' state = wants more votes for big states.
- •New Jersey = 'Not as big' = wants every state to be equal.
- •Both plans were proposed in 1787 in Philadelphia.
Key Facts
| Category | Virginia Plan | New Jersey Plan |
|---|---|---|
| Proposed by | James Madison / Edmund Randolph | William Paterson |
| Favored by | Large states | Small states |
| Congress | Bicameral (two houses) | Unicameral (one house) |
| Representation | Proportional to population | Equal — every state same votes |
| Executive | Single strong executive | Committee of executives |
| Judiciary | Strong national judiciary | Weaker; state courts strong |
| Philosophy | Strong national government | States keep most power |
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Review Game
Scenario Identification
Question 1 of 5Score: 0
Scenario
"A state with 1 million people should not have the same voice as a state with 50,000!"