Constitutional CompromisesBy K. E. Thompson
...ted. James Madison proposed the Virginia Plan which would involve a strong central government with two legislative houses. The number of representatives would be based on each state’s population. This plan gave the legislature more power then the Articles did. The problem with the Virginia Plan was that the small states feared the three largest states would control the legislature because they would have the majority of representatives. William Paterson proposed the New Jersey Plan which provided for a strong central government, but with one legislative house with each state having one vote. The problem with this plan was that it was the same structure Congress had under the Articles. The Connecticut Plan, later referred to as the “Great Compromise” called for two legislative houses—one house based on the states population with representatives elected by the voters and the other house based on the number of states with representatives elected by the state legislators. The large states objected to the Connecticut Plan, but understood from the small states that this compromise was necessary for them to ratify the Constitution. According to the text, the “Great Compromise” resolved the issue of the legislative branch and paved the way for compromise of other issues. What has been termed the “Greatest Compromise,” by Theodore J. Lowi, was over the delegations unwillingness to deal with the issu...