The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was a pivotal agreement made during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. It established the structure of the United States Congress, creating a bicameral legislative system. This means that Congress was divided into two houses:
-
The House of Representatives: Representation in this house is based on the population of each state. This was designed to favor larger states.
-
The Senate: Each state is represented equally with two senators, regardless of the state's population. This was created to favor smaller states.
The Great Compromise helped balance the interests of both large and small states and played a crucial role in shaping the U.S. government as we know it today.