Final answer:
James Madison's Virginia Plan proposed a federal government with a bicameral legislature based on proportional state representation, an independent executive, and a judiciary. Larger states endorsed it, while smaller states opposed it, leading to the Great Compromise.
Step-by-step explanation:
James Madison's Virginia Plan proposed a federal government with a strong structure that could override state laws. This influential plan, presented at the Constitutional Convention in 1787, included a bicameral legislature, with both houses' representation based on state population, favoring larger states. The lower house members would be elected directly by the people, and these elected representatives would then appoint members to the upper house from nominee lists provided by state legislatures. The Virginia Plan's emphasis on proportional representation resulted in the bigger states like Virginia wielding more political power.
The plan did not stop at the legislature; it also proposed the creation of an independent executive branch and a judicial branch. Unlike the weaker government under the Articles of Confederation, the executive would be selected by the legislature and tasked with enforcing legislative will, and the judiciary would serve as a national legal authority. This structure was much more centralized and potent, bestowing the federal government with the capacity to tax, regulate trade, and provide defense.
While the Virginia Plan was commended by larger states for its proportional representation, it raised concerns among the smaller states, leading to the presentation of the New Jersey Plan as a counterproposal, which suggested equal state representation in a unicameral legislature. Compromises were inevitable, with the resulting formation of a system incorporating aspects from both plans, known as the Great Compromise.