Question

What is most characteristic of the "Great Compromise" of the Constitution?

A one-house legislature was proposed.

The U.S. legislative branch should be made up of three houses.

It suggested a legislature of the House of Representatives and Senate.

Answer 1

The correct answer is It suggested a legislature of the House of Representatives and Senate.

The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was an agreement between all the states regarding population and the legislative branch. This issue of representation in the legislature was important to all states when developing the US Constitution. This is due to the fact that the legislature is responsible for making federal laws. Federal laws are the highest laws in the land, making them the type of laws that all individuals must follow.

After debates over the Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan took place, the Great Compromise was developed. This allowed larger states to benefit from having a greater population, as representation in the House would be based on a states population. At the same time, small states would be able to have equal power to larger states in the Senate, as there will be two Senators from each states regardless of population.

Answer 2

It suggested a legislature of the House of Representatives and the Senate. Virginia had a very large population, and therefore desired legislative representation based on population size in a one-house body, the so-called Virginia Plan. New Jersey had a small population, therefore desiring the legislature to be based on equal representation in a two-house body, the so-called New Jersey Plan. The Great compromised satisfied both. The House of Representatives was intended to represent people, while the Senate was intended to represent the states.