Why was the issue of representation in the legislature an issue up for debate at the Constitutional Convention?

Question

All states agreed that representation should be based on population.

All states agreed that there should be an equal number of representatives from each state.

All states agreed that slaves should not be counted toward a state's population.

Some wanted representation to be based on the population of the state, while others wanted it to be a set number.

Answer 1

The issue of representation in the legislature was a significant debate at the Constitutional Convention primarily because of differing interests between larger and smaller states. The correct explanation would be:

Some wanted representation to be based on the population of the state, while others wanted it to be a set number.

This disagreement led to the Great Compromise (or Connecticut Compromise), which created a bicameral legislature. In this system, the House of Representatives would have representation based on population, benefiting larger states, while the Senate would have equal representation, with two senators from each state, benefiting smaller states. The debate was further complicated by issues like slavery, which raised questions about whether enslaved individuals should be counted in a state's population for representation purposes.