Final answer:
The Great Compromise proposed a bicameral legislature consisting of two chambers: the Senate with equal representation for all states, and the House of Representatives with representation based on state population, resolving the legislative debate between small and large states during the drafting of the U.S. Constitution.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Great Compromise proposed a bicameral legislature, which was a two-chamber system consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. In this structure, the Senate would have equal representation from each state with two senators, accommodating the concerns of smaller states. Alternatively, the House of Representatives would feature proportional representation based on state populations, thus addressing the needs of larger states. This compromise led to a balanced system of government where both small and large states had an equitable influence in legislation, amending the problems witnessed under the previous unicameral legislature established by the Articles of Confederation.
This bicameral structure was created to correct the weaknesses that existed when the United States operated under a unicameral legislature, a system with a single legislative chamber. The Connecticut Compromise, also known as the Great Compromise, was primarily suggested by Roger Sherman and became a keystone for the creation of the current structure of the U.S. Congress.