The Virginia and New Jersey Plans were two proposals presented during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that aimed to address the structure of the United States government. Here are two key differences between them:
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Representation in Congress:
- Virginia Plan: Proposed a bicameral legislature with representation based on state population, meaning larger states would have more representatives than smaller states. This favored the interests of populous states.
- New Jersey Plan: Proposed a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state, regardless of population size. This approach was designed to protect the interests of smaller states by ensuring they had the same legislative power as larger states.
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Structure of the Legislative Branch:
- Virginia Plan: Envisioned a two-house (bicameral) legislature, consisting of an upper and a lower house, where both houses would be proportional to the population of each state.
- New Jersey Plan: Suggested a single-house legislature (unicameral), with each state casting one vote, thus providing equal legislative power to all states.
These differences highlighted the conflict between states with large populations and those with smaller populations, ultimately leading to the "Great Compromise" that shaped the structure of Congress as we know it today.
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