The Virginia Plan was a proposal developed by James Madison and introduced by Edmund Randolph at the Constitutional Convention. It proposed representation based on population, giving larger states more power than smaller states. It called for a Bicameral Legislature with a lower house elected from citizens of each state, and an upper house elected by members of the lower house.[1] This legislature was able to veto laws passed by states. It was responsible to choose the national executive. Many larger states supported this plan.
To counter the Virginia Plan, the small states introduced the New Jersey Plan, which would restrict each state to having the same number of representatives.[2] Using proposals from both plans, the small states and the large states created an agreed upon plan called the Great Compromise.
References
- ↑ U.S Government and Politics, by Paul Soifer
- ↑ http://library.thinkquest.org/11572/creation/framing/va_nj_plans.html