At the constitutional convention in 1787, the issue of representation in the United States Legislature was resolved by the Great Compromise. The Great Compromise happened in the year 1787 over a debate regarding the way the states should be represented. Larger states demanded more representation while the smaller states thought that it was unfair and the representation should be equal. Roger Sherman understood that this debate could reach a point where everything would be destroyed and so he started the process of the Great Compromise.