Comparison of the Two Plans-
Virginia Plan - Bicameral, with proportional representation, Strong, with the power to veto legislation and appoint judges , More power to the federal government .
New Jersey Plan -Unicameral, with equal representation for each state, Weak, with the power to execute federal laws but not veto legislation or appoint judges, More power to the states .
Virginia Plan
The Virginia Plan, proposed by James Madison, called for a bicameral legislature with proportional representation based on population.
This meant that states with larger populations would have more representatives in both houses of Congress.
The Virginia Plan also called for a strong executive branch with the power to veto legislation and appoint judges.
New Jersey Plan
The New Jersey Plan, proposed by William Paterson, called for a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state.
This would have protected the interests of smaller states, which feared that they would be dominated by larger states in a bicameral legislature with proportional representation.
The New Jersey Plan also retained more power for the states, including the power to veto federal laws.
The Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan represented two different visions for the future of the American government.
The Virginia Plan favored a strong central government, while the New Jersey Plan favored a weaker central government with more power for the states.
These two plans were eventually combined to create the Great Compromise, which was adopted at the Constitutional Convention in 1787.
The Great Compromise created a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House of Representatives and equal representation for each state in the Senate.
The Great Compromise also created a strong executive branch with the power to veto legislation and appoint judges.