
The Connecticut Compromise was a proposal put forward by Connecticut delegates Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth during the drafting of the US Constitution in 1787. The compromise helped to solve the dispute between small and large states over representation in the new federal government. It proposed a bicameral federal legislature with an upper house that had equal representation from each state, and a lower house with proportional representation based on a state's population. This unique form of government, which combined confederal and national government elements, has become known as 'federal government'.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Compromise offered by | Connecticut delegates Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth |
| Date | 1787 |
| Location | Pennsylvania State House in Philadelphia |
| Purpose | To solve the dispute between small and large states over representation in the new federal government |
| Solution | A bicameral federal legislature with an upper house with equal representation from each state and a lower house with proportional representation based on a state's population |
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What You'll Learn
- The Connecticut Compromise helped to solve the dispute between small and large states over representation in the new federal government
- The Compromise proposed a unique form of government that mixed federal elements into a national government
- The Compromise helped to break a deadlock concerning the central government's legislative body
- The Compromise provided for a bicameral federal legislature that used a dual system of representation
- The Compromise helped to solve the dispute over whether the character of the national government should be confederal or national

The Connecticut Compromise helped to solve the dispute between small and large states over representation in the new federal government
The compromise helped to break a "deadlock" concerning the central government's legislative body. By combining confederal and national government elements, the founders crafted a unique form of government that has become known as “federal government”. This proposal helped solve the difficult dispute over whether the character of the national government should be confederal or national and how representation in Congress should be allocated.
Representatives from the more populous states generally wanted representation to be based on population, as presented in the Virginia Plan. Representatives from the small states generally preferred a confederal approach where states enjoy equal representation in the legislature, as expressed in the New Jersey Plan. The Connecticut Compromise provided a means out of the impasse by conceiving of a unique form of government that mixed federal elements into a national government.
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The Compromise proposed a unique form of government that mixed federal elements into a national government
The Connecticut Compromise was a proposal in the Constitutional Convention of 1787 to create a bicameral legislature composed of a Senate, with equal representation of the states, and a House of Representatives apportioned according to population. This proposal helped solve the difficult dispute over whether the character of the national government should be confederal or national and how representation in Congress should be allocated. The Compromise proposed a unique form of government that mixed federal elements into a national government. By combining confederal and national government elements, the founders crafted a unique form of government that has become known as “federal government”.
The dispute was between small and large states over representation in the new federal government. The Connecticut Compromise provided for a bicameral federal legislature that used a dual system of representation: the upper house would have equal representation from each state, while the lower house would have proportional representation based on a state’s population. This compromise finally broke a “deadlock” concerning the central government’s legislative body.
The three Connecticut delegates, Roger Sherman, Oliver Ellsworth and one other unnamed, proved the most instrumental in the new constitution’s adoption. They had to convince both classes of Connecticut residents to support the Constitution. The merchants and those of the wealthier, more urbane social strata wanted stronger trade protections that a centralised government could bring, while farmers and those from rural areas were wary of federal taxation and the institution of a new merchant-aristocracy.
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The Compromise helped to break a deadlock concerning the central government's legislative body
The Connecticut Compromise was a proposal in the Constitutional Convention of 1787 to create a bicameral legislature composed of a Senate, with equal representation of the states, and a House of Representatives apportioned according to population. This compromise helped to break a deadlock concerning the central government's legislative body by providing a unique form of government that mixed federal elements into a national government.
The compromise was offered by Connecticut delegates Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth to solve the dispute between small and large states over representation in the new federal government. It provided for a bicameral federal legislature that used a dual system of representation: the upper house would have equal representation from each state, while the lower house would have proportional representation based on a state's population.
This proposal helped to solve the difficult dispute over whether the character of the national government should be confederal or national and how representation in Congress should be allocated. Representatives from the more populous states generally wanted representation to be based on population, as presented in the Virginia Plan. Representatives from the small states generally preferred a confederal approach where states enjoy equal representation in the legislature, as expressed in the New Jersey Plan.
By combining confederal and national government elements, the founders crafted a unique form of government that has become known as "federal government".
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The Compromise provided for a bicameral federal legislature that used a dual system of representation
The Connecticut Compromise was a proposal in the Constitutional Convention of 1787 to create a bicameral federal legislature that used a dual system of representation. This was a unique form of government that mixed federal elements into a national government.
The compromise was offered by Connecticut delegates Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth to solve the dispute between small and large states over representation in the new federal government. The proposal helped solve the difficult dispute over whether the character of the national government should be confederal or national and how representation in Congress should be allocated.
The Connecticut Compromise broke a "deadlock" concerning the central government's legislative body and helped to ratify the Constitution.
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The Compromise helped to solve the dispute over whether the character of the national government should be confederal or national
The Connecticut Compromise helped to ratify the Constitution by solving the dispute over whether the character of the national government should be confederal or national. The compromise was offered by Connecticut delegates Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth during the drafting of the Constitution of the United States at the 1787 convention. It provided for a bicameral federal legislature that used a dual system of representation: the upper house would have equal representation from each state, while the lower house would have proportional representation based on a state’s population. This mixed federal elements into a national government, creating a unique form of government that has become known as “federal government”.
The compromise helped to break a "deadlock" concerning the central government's legislative body. It was a proposal to create a bicameral legislature composed of a Senate, with equal representation of the states, and a House of Representatives apportioned according to population. This helped to solve the difficult dispute over whether the character of the national government should be confederal or national and how representation in Congress should be allocated. Representatives from the more populous states generally wanted representation to be based on population, as presented in the Virginia Plan. Representatives from the small states generally preferred a confederal approach where states enjoy equal representation in the legislature, as expressed in the New Jersey Plan.
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Frequently asked questions
The Connecticut Compromise was a proposal in the Constitutional Convention of 1787 to create a bicameral legislature composed of a Senate, with equal representation of the states, and a House of Representatives apportioned according to population.
The Connecticut Compromise helped solve the difficult dispute over whether the character of the national government should be confederal or national and how representation in Congress should be allocated.
The Connecticut Compromise was offered by Connecticut delegates Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth.
The Connecticut Compromise provided for a bicameral federal legislature that used a dual system of representation: the upper house would have equal representation from each state, while the lower house would have proportional representation based on a state’s population.

























