Ning Ma

Professor Andrus
Pols 1

Constitutional Convention Summary

Virginia Plan:
Crafted by James Madison, The Virginia Plan was brought up for debate at the
Constitutional Convention by the governor of Virginia, Edmund Randolph, in 1787. This
plan helped create the framework of the constitution today as we all know it. Within this
plan, a new national government would be established with a strong executive person
chosen by the legislature. The executive branch, which was essentially made up of the
president of the newly formed government, would have the ability to veto acts by the
legislative branch. The plan also would create a federal judiciary system, which included
a supreme court. Lastly, the legislative branch would consist of two houses of legislatures
that received certain number of votes based upon the population of a state. This would
mean that larger states and federal governmental power would be at an advantage if it
were to be enacted in its pure form.
(Information taken from article written by John Roche)
New Jersey Plan:
The New Jersey Plan sought to protect the rights of the states as it advocated for keeping
many parts of the Articles of Confederation in place. The New Jersey Plan was meant to
bring power to the states and was a counter to the Virginia Plan. Those within small states

believed larger states would have too much power. Presented by William Paterson, the
plan proposed nine resolutions that would keep the Articles of Confederation as the main
document of the land. This plan sought to give congress many new powers, which
included powers to tax, regulate commerce between the states, and create an executive
branch with a group of executives and not just one single president. The plan also called
for each state having one single vote within the legislatures, which meant that smaller
states would have equal representation in the legislature of Congress no matter their size
of population.
(Information taken from article Constitutional Convention)
Connecticut/Great Compromise:
Often referred to as The Great Compromise, the Connecticut Compromise was
proposed by Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth. What these two men did was to bring
the debate between the amounts of votes the legislatures receive in the newly formed
government during the Constitutional Convention. The compromise consisted of meeting
both sides of the debate between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan and bringing
them together to create a system that has now lasted for more than 200 years. The plan
created a system of representation with two qualities. The first would establish a house of
representation based on pure population that was made up of the total white population
and three-fifths of the slave population. The second quality was meant to establish a
senate, where all states would have the same number of seats and votes. This gave both
smaller and larger states an equal legislative standing.

(Information used from U.S. Senate 1787)

Works Cited:
Constitutional Convention." Gale Encyclopedia of U.S. Economic History. Ed. Thomas Riggs.
2nd ed. Vol. 1. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2015. 290-292. U.S. History in Context. Web. 23
Mar. 2016. Gale Document Number: GALE|CX3611000197
ROCHE, JOHN P. "Constitutional Convention of 1787." Encyclopedia of the American
Constitution. Ed. Leonard W. Levy and Kenneth L. Karst. 2nd ed. Vol. 2. Detroit: Macmillan
Reference USA, 2000. 517-523. U.S. History in Context. Web. 23 Mar. 2016.
"U.S. Senate: 1787: A Great Compromise." United States Senate. Senate Historical Office. Web.
23 Mar. 2016.