Final answer:
The Virginia Plan was a proposal for a new structure of national government with a bicameral legislature based on state population, benefiting larger states. It included an independent executive and judiciary, transitioning towards a stronger national government capable of overriding state legislations.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Virginia Plan in Context
The Virginia Plan, often referred to as the large state plan, was introduced at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. It proposed a substantial redesign of the national government, with a principal feature being a bicameral legislature where representation in both houses would be based on state population. Under this plan, voters would elect members to the lower house, while the lower house would then select the upper house from nominees provided by state legislatures. The number of representatives in both chambers would thus favor larger states like Virginia, which had higher populations. Importantly, the Virginia Plan also called for the creation of an independent executive and judiciary, which were both absent under the preceding Articles of Confederation. This represented a significant shift towards a stronger national government with the power to overturn state laws.
While the Virginia Plan was advantageous for larger states due to proportional representation, smaller states expressed concern. Their fear was that, with powerful large states controlling the legislature, their interests would not be adequately represented. In response, William Paterson proposed the New Jersey Plan, advocating for equal representation for states in a unicameral national legislature, regardless of state size, providing a stark contrast to the Virginia Plan. The conflict between the two plans led to the creation of the Great Compromise, which eventually shaped the current structure of the U.S. Congress, combining elements of both proportional and equal representation across its two chambers.