The Joyful Comparison of Virginia Plan and Hamilton Plan

What are some differences between the Virginia Plan and the Hamilton Plan?

Choose the correct answer:

a) Different views on the power of the central government

b) Varied opinions on the composition of the legislative branch

c) Diverging perspectives on the judicial system

Different views on the power of the central government

The Virginia Plan and the Hamilton Plan had different views on the power of the central government. The Virginia Plan proposed a strong national government with significant authority over the states, while the Hamilton Plan emphasized more power to be given to the individual states.

Explanation: The Virginia Plan, presented by Edmund Randolph, called for a strong central government that could legislate in all cases where the states were deemed incompetent. This plan sought to address the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation, which had given too much power to the states and led to a weak national government. On the other hand, the Hamilton Plan, put forth by Alexander Hamilton, advocated for a system that shared power between the central government and the individual states, aiming to strike a balance between federal authority and state autonomy.

These differing perspectives on the power of the central government reflect the broader debates and tensions within the Constitutional Convention of 1787 regarding the allocation of authority between the national government and the states.