Final answer:
The Virginia Plan was amended by the Great Compromise to balance the interests of both large and small states in the U.S. Congress, resulting in equal representation in the Senate and population-based representation in the House of Representatives.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Great Compromise and the Virginia Plan
The Virginia Plan was amended as part of the Great Compromise to create a fair and balanced representation in the newly formed United States Congress. The Virginia Plan, proposed by James Madison, advocated for a strong national government, bicameral legislature, and representation based on state population. This meant that states with larger populations would have more influence. However, smaller states feared that this would diminish their voices in the federal government. The contentious debate was resolved with Roger Sherman's Great Compromise, which established a dual system of representation: equal representation in the Senate and population-based representation in the House of Representatives.
Under the Great Compromise, every state, regardless of size, received two senators, reflecting the New Jersey Plan’s call for equal representation. On the other hand, representation in the House was made proportional to a state's population, as the Virginia Plan had originally suggested. This bicameral legislature model satisfied both larger and smaller states and has been in effect since the adoption of the United States Constitution.