Final answer:
The Virginia Plan proposed a powerful executive branch, three branches of government, and a two-house legislature. It aimed to create a stronger national government and give more political power to the more populous states.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Virginia Plan proposed a powerful executive branch, three branches of government (legislative, executive, and judicial), and a two-house legislature (bicameral), with an upper and a lower house. The lower house would be elected by the people based on population, while the upper house would be elected by the lower house and the state legislatures. This plan aimed to create a stronger national government and give more political power to the more populous states.
The Virginia Plan proposed at the Constitutional Convention featured a bicameral legislature, with both houses based on population, which favored larger states like Virginia. It also advocated for the creation of an independent executive branch and a national judiciary.
The Virginia Plan, proposed at the Constitutional Convention, was instrumental in shaping the structure of the United States government. The plan, put forward by James Madison, suggested a strong national government with the ability to overturn state laws. The cornerstone of the Virginia Plan was the introduction of a bicameral legislature, consisting of two houses: an upper and a lower house. This arrangement was meant to replace the unicameral legislature of the Articles of Confederation.
Representation in both chambers was to be based on the population, giving more populous states such as Virginia more influence, and thus the plan favored larger states. In addition to the two-house legislature, the Virginia Plan also called for the creation of an independent executive branch and a national judiciary, to be appointed by the legislature. This marked a significant shift from the existing system under the Articles of Confederation, which had no executive branch and a less defined judiciary.