The New Jersey Plan: A Closer Look

The New Jersey Plan

The New Jersey Plan was a proposal presented during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 in Philadelphia. It was created as an alternative to the Virginia Plan, which favored large states by proposing representation based on population.

The New Jersey Plan was designed to protect the security and power of the small states by limiting each state to one vote in Congress. This was in contrast to the Virginia Plan, which called for representation based on population size.

Explanation

The New Jersey Plan, also known as the Small State Plan, aimed to ensure that small states would have equal representation in Congress and prevent domination by larger states. Under this plan, each state, regardless of size or population, would have the same voting power. This was crucial for small states like New Jersey, Delaware, and Connecticut, who feared being overshadowed by larger states such as Virginia and Pennsylvania.

Ultimately, the New Jersey Plan was a compromise that led to the creation of the United States Senate, where each state has an equal number of senators, regardless of population. This balanced the interests of both small and large states in the legislative process.