Question

At the Constitutional Convention, large states supported a plan—the Virginia Plan—to make the whole Congress look like the House. Small states supported a plan—the New Jersey Plan—to make the whole Congress look like the Senate. How would each have benefited from their favored plans?

Answer 1

The large states would benefit from the Virginia Plan by having more representation and influence, while the small states would benefit from the New Jersey Plan by having equal representation and a stronger voice in the national legislature.

Step-by-step explanation:

The large states, who supported the Virginia Plan, would have benefited from their favored plan because it called for representation based on population. This means that larger states, like Virginia, would have more representatives in the national legislature compared to smaller states. As a result, larger states would have a greater influence on decision-making and legislation.

On the other hand, the small states, who supported the New Jersey Plan, would have benefited from their favored plan because it called for equal representation of all states in the national legislature. Under this plan, each state would have the same number of representatives, regardless of its population size. For smaller states, this meant that their interests would be given equal weight and consideration in the decision-making process.

In summary, the large states would have benefited from the Virginia Plan by having more representation and influence, while the small states would have benefited from the New Jersey Plan by having equal representation and a stronger voice in the national legislature.