The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was an agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that established a bicameral legislature in the United States. This compromise created two houses of Congress: the House of Representatives and the Senate.
To identify an excerpt from Article I of the Constitution that reflects the results of the Great Compromise, look for references to:
- The House of Representatives: This chamber is composed of members elected by the people, with representation based on the population of each state.
- The Senate: This chamber is composed of two senators from each state, regardless of the state's population, serving to balance the influence of populous states with less populous ones.
An example excerpt reflecting the results of the Great Compromise is:
- Section 1: "All legislative Powers herein granted shall be vested in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and House of Representatives."
- Section 2: "The House of Representatives shall be composed of Members chosen every second Year by the People of the several States, and the Electors in each State shall have the Qualifications requisite for Electors of the most numerous Branch of the State Legislature."
- Section 3: "The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof (the electors of the State), for six Years; and each Senator shall have one Vote."
These sections illustrate the dual system of representation established by the Great Compromise.