New Jersey Plan: A Vision for Equal Representation

How did the New Jersey Plan propose to address representation in the government?

The New Jersey Plan proposed a solution to the representation issue in the government. What was the main concept behind this plan?

Answer:

The New Jersey Plan proposed that each state should have an equal number of representatives in the government, regardless of the state's population size. This would ensure that smaller states would have an equal say in the decision-making process.

The New Jersey Plan, presented during the Constitutional Convention in 1787, aimed to create a fair system of representation in the government. At that time, there was a debate between the larger states, which favored the Virginia Plan calling for representation based on population, and the smaller states, which supported the New Jersey Plan calling for equal representation for each state.

The main idea behind the New Jersey Plan was to prevent larger states from dominating the decision-making process simply because of their population size. By giving each state an equal number of representatives, regardless of size, the plan sought to ensure that all states had a voice in the government.

Although the New Jersey Plan was not ultimately adopted in its original form, it did influence the creation of the Great Compromise, which established a bicameral legislature with the Senate providing equal representation for each state and the House of Representatives based on population.