Why was the Great Compromise needed at the Constitutional Convention?

Question

A) It solved the dispute between big states and small states.
B) It allowed the delegates to see that a new constitution was needed.
C) It led the delegates to come up with the system of checks and balances.
D) It required Congress to be composed of equal representation from each state so that no state would have an advantage.

Answer 1

The correct answer is:

A) It solved the dispute between big states and small states.

The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was necessary to reconcile the differing interests of larger states, which favored representation based on population (the Virginia Plan), and smaller states, which wanted equal representation regardless of size (the New Jersey Plan). The compromise established a bicameral legislature with a House of Representatives based on population and a Senate with equal representation (two senators per state), thereby addressing the concerns of both groups.