Isabella Carter
The New Jersey Plan, proposed by William Paterson, was one of two competing proposals for the structure of the US government, the other being the Virginia Plan. The New Jersey Plan was intended to benefit smaller states such as New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland, by providing for equal representation in a unicameral legislature, as opposed to the bicameral legislature of the Virginia Plan, which would have given more power to the more populous states. The New Jersey Plan's nine resolutions included expanding the scope of Congress's powers to raise taxes and regulate commerce, and the three-fifths rule, which counted three-fifths of a state's enslaved population for the purpose of determining its population for taxation and representation. The Virginia Plan was ultimately chosen over the New Jersey Plan, but the Connecticut Compromise of 1787 reconciled the two, creating the current structure of Congress, with a Senate featuring equal representation and a House of Representatives apportioned by population.
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What You'll Learn
The New Jersey Plan's unicameral legislature
The New Jersey Plan was a proposal for the structure of the United States government, presented during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 in Philadelphia. It was principally authored by William Paterson of New Jersey, and was an alternative to the Virginia Plan proposed by James Madison and Edmund Randolph of Virginia.
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The Virginia Plan's bicameral legislature
The Virginia Plan, proposed by James Madison and Edmund Randolph, was one of two competing proposals for the structure and functioning of the United States government. It was presented at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 in Philadelphia. The Virginia Plan called for a bicameral legislature, with proportional representation based on state population in both houses of Congress.
The plan outlined a strong national government with three branches: legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative branch would consist of two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. Each state's representation in Congress would be based on its population, with the less populous states having fewer representatives than the more populous states. This was a significant point of contention, as many less populous states feared that their interests would be overshadowed by those of the larger states.
The Virginia Plan's proposal for a bicameral legislature was in contrast to the New Jersey Plan, which called for a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state, regardless of population. The New Jersey Plan, proposed by William Paterson, was intended to benefit small states and retain more authority for the states rather than a strong national government.
Following the defeat of the New Jersey Plan, the two plans were reconciled through the Connecticut Compromise, which combined elements of each. The resulting structure of Congress includes a Senate with equal representation for each state and a House of Representatives with representatives apportioned based on population.
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The Connecticut Compromise
The New Jersey Plan, proposed by William Paterson of New Jersey, was an important alternative to the Virginia Plan proposed by James Madison and Edmund Randolph of Virginia. The New Jersey Plan was intended to benefit small states, such as New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland, by providing for equal representation in a unicameral legislature, regardless of population. This plan also sought to revise the Articles of Confederation to keep power in the hands of the states instead of a centralised government.
The Virginia Plan, on the other hand, called for a stronger national government and proportional representation in both houses of the legislature, with membership allocated to each state proportional to its population. This plan was favoured by the more populous states, who argued that their greater contribution to the nation's resources justified a greater say in the central government.
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The Three-Fifths Rule
The New Jersey Plan, proposed by William Paterson of New Jersey, advocated for a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state, regardless of population. This plan was intended to benefit smaller states, such as New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland, by retaining more authority for the states. On the other hand, the Virginia Plan, proposed by James Madison and Edmund Randolph of Virginia, called for a bicameral legislature with proportional representation based on state population. Larger states, such as New York and Virginia, supported this plan as it would give them greater representation and power.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was a resolution to the debate between these two plans. It provided for a bicameral legislature, with the House of Representatives apportioned by population and the Senate apportioned equally by state. This compromise addressed the concerns of both larger and smaller states. Additionally, it included the Three-Fifths Rule, which stated that three-fifths of the number of enslaved people in a state would be counted for determining its population and, consequently, its proportional share of Congress's funding requests.
The Three-Fifths Compromise and the resulting Three-Fifths Rule were crucial components of the United States Constitution, which superseded the Articles of Confederation in 1788 after ratification by nine states. The rule's legacy continues to be felt in the US, particularly in cases involving voting rights and representation, as it set a precedent for the country's political landscape and the power dynamics between states.
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The Articles of Confederation
The Articles established a unicameral legislature, the Confederation Congress, in which each state had one vote. This structure would be maintained in the New Jersey Plan, which sought to revise the Articles to keep power in the hands of the states.
The New Jersey Plan, proposed by William Paterson in 1787, was an attempt to address these issues. It consisted of nine resolutions, the first of which advocated for the Articles of Confederation to be amended and enlarged to meet the demands of government and preserve the Union. The second resolution expanded Congress's powers to include the authority to raise revenue through import duties and taxes. The third resolution established the Three-Fifths Compromise, which counted three-fifths of a state's enslaved population for the purpose of taxation and representation.
The New Jersey Plan was rejected in favour of the competing Virginia Plan, which called for a bicameral legislature and proportional representation based on state population. However, elements of both plans were combined in the Connecticut Compromise, which forms the basis of the current structure of Congress.
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Frequently asked questions
The New Jersey Plan was a proposal for the structure of the United States government, presented during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. It was intended to benefit less populous states, which feared that the alternative Virginia Plan would give substantial control of the national government to more populous states.
The New Jersey Plan called for a unicameral legislature with equal representation for states, whereas the Virginia Plan called for a bicameral legislature with proportional representation based on state population.
No, the New Jersey Plan did not constitute both houses of Congress. It called for a unicameral legislature, meaning a single body of representatives.
