The Great Compromise: Constitution's Cornerstone

The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was an agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that defined the legislative structure and representation each state would have under the United States Constitution. The compromise was proposed by Roger Sherman and other delegates from Connecticut and it retained the bicameral legislature, with proportional representation of the states in the lower house or House of Representatives, and equal representation for each state in the upper house or Senate. The Great Compromise allayed the fears of smaller states that a commonality of interest among larger states would work to their disadvantage, and it is considered an important part of the Constitution.

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The Great Compromise was proposed by Roger Sherman and other Connecticut delegates

The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was proposed by Roger Sherman and other Connecticut delegates during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. It was a unique plan for congressional representation that resolved the most controversial aspect of the drafting of the Constitution. The delegates were heavily divided over the representation of each state in Congress. The larger states, with their greater populations, wanted proportional representation, while the smaller states argued that despite their lower populations, they should have equal representation as each state held equal legal status.

Sherman and the other Connecticut delegates repeatedly advanced a legislative structure that was eventually proposed as the Great Compromise. This plan retained the bicameral legislature, with proportional representation of the states in the lower house or House of Representatives, and equal representation for each state in the upper house or Senate. Each state would have two members in the Senate.

The Great Compromise was a modified version of the Virginia Plan, also known as the Randolph Plan, proposed by Edmund Randolph of the Virginia delegation. Under this proposal, membership in both houses would be allocated to each state proportional to its population. The Virginia Plan was supported by delegates from the larger states, while the smaller states objected to this idea.

Sherman's plan, which became the basis for the Great Compromise, proposed that the proportion of suffrage in the first house should be according to the respective numbers of free inhabitants, and that in the second house or Senate, each state should have one vote. This plan pleased delegates from both the large and small states, and it was ultimately included in the Constitution, with some modifications, as the larger states were not entirely in favour of it.

The Great Compromise was a significant moment in the creation of the U.S. Constitution, and many historians have noted that without it, there may not have been a Constitution at all. It addressed the concerns of both the larger and smaller states, ensuring fair representation for all in the legislative process.

It resolved the issue of representation in Congress

The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was an agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that defined the legislative structure and representation each state would have under the United States Constitution.

The states were divided over the representation in each branch of Congress. The delegates from larger states argued that their greater contribution of the nation's financial and defensive resources meant they should have a greater say in the central government. On the other hand, delegates from smaller states asserted that, despite their lower populations, their states held equal legal status to that of the larger states, and that proportional representation would be unfair to them.

To resolve these differences, the Convention delegates approved the formation of a "compromise committee" to devise a solution. The committee proposed a plan that became known as the Great Compromise. It retained the bicameral legislature, with proportional representation of the states in the lower house or House of Representatives, and equal representation for each state in the upper house or Senate.

The Great Compromise resolved the issue of representation in Congress by balancing the interests of large and small states. The larger states were satisfied with proportional representation in the House of Representatives, which gave them more weight in the first house of the legislature. Meanwhile, the smaller states secured equal representation in the Senate, ensuring that each state had a voice in the upper house. This compromise allowed for the continuation of the constitutional drafting process and ultimately, the creation of the United States Constitution.

It established equal representation in the Senate

The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was an agreement made during the 1787 Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. It resolved the issue of representation in Congress, which threatened to derail the ratification of the U.S. Constitution. The delegates from larger states believed that their states contributed more to the nation's financial and defensive resources, and so they should have greater representation in both houses. On the other hand, the delegates from smaller states demanded equal representation in both houses.

The delegates from Connecticut, Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth, proposed a compromise that combined elements of the Virginia (large state) plan and the New Jersey (small state) plan. According to the Great Compromise, there would be two national legislatures in a bicameral Congress. The House of Representatives would have proportional representation, with members allocated according to each state's population and elected by the people. In contrast, the Senate would provide equal representation for each state, regardless of population.

The proposal for equal representation in the Senate was initially defeated by one vote. However, a tie on July 2 opened the possibility for compromise. A "Grand Committee" was appointed, which reported the original Sherman compromise proposal with an added provision suggested by Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania. This provision specified that revenue and spending bills would only originate in the House.

The Great Compromise was adopted by a narrow margin of one vote on July 16, 1787. It established equal representation in the Senate, ensuring that each state, regardless of its size, would have an equal vote. This arrangement aimed to protect the interests of smaller states and prevent the dominance of larger states in the nation's government.

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It established proportional representation in the House of Representatives

The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was a plan for congressional representation that resolved the most controversial aspect of the drafting of the U.S. Constitution. The disagreement over representation threatened to derail the ratification of the Constitution, as delegates from both large and small states vowed to reject the document if they didn't get their way.

The Virginia Plan, drafted by James Madison and introduced to the Convention by Edmund Randolph on May 29, 1787, proposed the creation of a bicameral national legislature, or a legislature consisting of two houses, in which the "rights of suffrage" in both houses would be proportional to the size of the state. The delegates from the larger states argued that their states contributed more of the nation's financial and defensive resources, and therefore they should have a greater say in the central government.

On the other hand, the small-state delegates demanded that all states be equally represented in both houses. They argued that a commonality of interest among the larger states would work to their disadvantage, and they were skeptical of a legislature that could pass laws favoring a minority of the people.

The Great Compromise proposed by Roger Sherman and other delegates from Connecticut resolved this dispute by establishing equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House of Representatives. In the House of Representatives, each state would be assigned a number of seats in proportion to its population. This meant that states with larger populations would have more representatives in the House, reflecting their greater contribution to the nation's resources.

The compromise also included a provision, suggested by Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania, that revenue and spending bills would only originate in the House. This ensured that the interests of the smaller states were considered in matters of financial concern.

It was a compromise between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan

The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was a plan proposed during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that defined the legislative structure and representation each state would have under the United States Constitution. It was a compromise between the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan, which had been proposed by delegates from larger and smaller states, respectively.

The Virginia Plan, drafted by James Madison and introduced by Edmund Randolph, proposed the creation of a bicameral national legislature, with representation in both houses proportional to the size of each state. This plan favoured larger states, as they would have more representatives in the legislature. The New Jersey Plan, on the other hand, proposed that each state send the same number of representatives to Congress, regardless of its population. Smaller states argued that this would ensure they had an equal legal status to larger states and that proportional representation would be unfair to them.

The Great Compromise was proposed by Roger Sherman and other delegates from Connecticut, and it retained the bicameral legislature as proposed by the Virginia Plan. However, it also incorporated elements of the New Jersey Plan by requiring equal representation for each state in the upper house or Senate, with each state having two members. The lower house or House of Representatives would have proportional representation, with each state having one representative for every 40,000 inhabitants, including three-fifhs of its enslaved population.

The Great Compromise was adopted by a narrow margin of one vote on July 16, 1787, and it resolved the most controversial aspect of the drafting of the Constitution. It allayed the fears of smaller states, which were concerned about being disadvantaged by the commonality of interests among larger states. It also addressed the concerns of larger states, which were skeptical of a legislature that could pass laws favouring a minority of the people.

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