Question

Why did smaller states oppose the Virginia Plan? They wanted a weak executive. They feared having too little power in the Congress. They wanted only two branches of government. They preferred to keep the Articles of Confederation.

Answer 1

Smaller states opposed the Virginia Plan primarily because they feared having too little power in Congress. The Virginia Plan proposed a strong national government with representation based on population, which would favor larger states. This meant that smaller states would have less influence in the legislative process. They were concerned that under such a system, their interests would be overlooked and dominated by larger states. As a result, smaller states advocated for the New Jersey Plan, which sought to maintain equal representation for each state regardless of size, thereby ensuring that smaller states had a comparable voice in the federal government.