In a 6th graders response. In a paragraph, analyze the Great Compromise during the Constitutional Convention. What problem did it solve? What were the alternatives?

Answer 1

The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was a crucial agreement made during the Constitutional Convention in 1787. The big problem it solved was how to fairly represent states in Congress. Large states wanted representation based on their population, while smaller states wanted equal representation, so every state would have the same power. The Great Compromise created a bicameral legislature, which means Congress would have two parts: the House of Representatives, where representation is based on population, and the Senate, where every state gets two senators, ensuring that small states aren't left out. The alternatives were to either follow the Virginia Plan, which favored larger states, or the New Jersey Plan, which favored smaller states. By creating this compromise, it helped unite the states and made it possible to create a Constitution that everyone could agree on.