Omar Bennett
The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise or the Sherman 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 resolved the issue of congressional representation, with delegates from larger states wanting representation based on population, and smaller states demanding equal representation. The Great Compromise established equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House of Representatives, influencing everything from pork barrel legislation to the way votes are counted in the Electoral College during presidential elections.
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What You'll Learn
- The Great Compromise was proposed by Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth
- It resolved the dispute between large and small states
- It established equal representation in the Senate
- It established proportional representation in the House of Representatives
- It enshrined protections for slaveholders in the Constitution
The Great Compromise was proposed by Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth
The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise or the Sherman Compromise, was proposed by Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticut. The proposal was made during the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787. The convention was marked by a heated dispute between states with larger populations, who wanted congressional representation based on population, and smaller states, who demanded equal representation.
The Great Compromise was a unique plan for congressional representation that resolved the most controversial aspect of the drafting of the Constitution. It combined proposals from the Virginia (large state) plan and the New Jersey (small state) plan. The Virginia Plan, drafted by James Madison and introduced by Edmund Randolph, proposed a bicameral national legislature with "rights of suffrage" in both houses proportional to the size of the state. The New Jersey Plan, proposed by William Paterson, suggested a unicameral (one-house) legislature in which each state had a single vote.
Roger Sherman and other delegates from Connecticut, including Oliver Ellsworth, repeatedly advanced a legislative structure early in the Convention debates that eventually became the basis for the Great Compromise. Sherman's proposal, also known as the Sherman Compromise, suggested a bicameral legislature with proportional representation of the states in the lower house or House of Representatives, and equal representation in the upper house or Senate. Each state would have two members in the Senate, regardless of its size, and state legislatures would choose Senators.
The Great Compromise was adopted on July 16, 1787, after North Carolina switched its vote to equal representation per state, and the Massachusetts delegation was divided, resulting in a 5-4 vote of the states. The compromise has had lasting political effects, with states with smaller populations having a disproportionately bigger voice in the nation's Congress.
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It resolved the dispute between large and small states
The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was an agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. It resolved the dispute between large and small states by establishing equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House of Representatives.
During the Constitutional Convention, delegates from larger states argued for congressional representation based on population. They believed that their states contributed more financially and defensively to the nation, and therefore deserved a greater say in the central government. On the other hand, delegates from smaller states demanded equal representation, claiming 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.
The Great Compromise proposed a bicameral Congress, or a Congress consisting of two houses. In the House of Representatives, members would be allocated according to each state's population and elected by the people. In the Senate, each state would have two representatives, regardless of its size, and state legislatures would choose the Senators. This compromise ensured that both large and small states had a say in the government and prevented the convention from dissolving into chaos.
The compromise also had long-lasting political effects. Due to the differences in state populations, smaller states now have a disproportionately bigger voice in Congress. This means that interests in those states, such as mining or farming, are more likely to receive attention and funding from the federal government. Additionally, the Great Compromise led to the Three-Fifths Compromise, which counted enslaved persons as three-fifths of a person for purposes of congressional representation and voting power in the Electoral College.
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It established equal representation in the Senate
The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise or the Sherman Compromise, was an agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. It established equal representation in the Senate, with each state having two members, regardless of the state's size. This was proposed by Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticut, and it resolved the dispute between larger and smaller states.
Delegates from larger states believed that representation in the Senate should be proportional to the population, while smaller states argued for equal representation, claiming that despite their lower populations, they held equal legal status. The disagreement over representation threatened to derail the ratification of the Constitution, as delegates from both sides vowed to reject the document if their demands were not met.
The Connecticut Compromise retained the bicameral legislature proposed by Sherman, with proportional representation in the lower house or House of Representatives, and equal representation in the upper house or Senate. This compromise satisfied delegates from both large and small states, and it became a fundamental aspect of the U.S. congressional representation system.
The equal representation in the Senate has been protected by Article V of the Constitution, which states that no state can lose its equal representation without its consent. This has resulted in smaller states having a disproportionately bigger voice in Congress compared to more populous states. For example, California has a much larger population than Wyoming, yet both states have the same number of votes in the Senate.
The Great Compromise played a crucial role in shaping the legislative structure and representation of each state under the United States Constitution, and it continues to influence various aspects of American politics today.
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It established proportional representation in the House of Representatives
The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise or the Sherman Compromise, was an agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. It established proportional representation in the House of Representatives, with each state having a variable number of members based on its population. This was a key aspect of the compromise, resolving a heated dispute between states with larger populations and smaller states.
The larger states, including Virginia, argued for congressional representation based on population. They believed that their greater contribution to the nation's resources entitled them to a stronger say in the central government. The Virginia Plan, introduced by Edmund Randolph and drafted by James Madison, proposed a bicameral national legislature with representation in both houses proportional to the size of the state.
On the other hand, delegates from smaller states, such as New Jersey, objected to this idea and demanded equal representation. They argued that despite their lower populations, their states held equal legal status to that of the larger states, and proportional representation would put them at a disadvantage. The disagreement over representation threatened to derail the ratification of the Constitution, as delegates from both sides vowed to reject the document if their demands were not met.
The Great Compromise resolved this dispute by adopting a bicameral legislature, with proportional representation in the House of Representatives and equal representation in the Senate. In the House, each state's representation would be based on its population, ensuring that larger states had a stronger voice in this chamber. The first census in 1790 counted 4 million Americans, and as a result, the total number of members elected to the House of Representatives grew from 65 to 106.
While the Great Compromise successfully addressed the issue of representation at the time, it has had unintended consequences in modern times due to the significant population differences between states that exist today. As a result, states with smaller populations now have a disproportionately bigger voice in the Senate compared to more populous states. This has led to certain interests in smaller states, such as mining or farming, receiving more attention and funding from the federal government.
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It enshrined protections for slaveholders in the Constitution
The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise or the Sherman Compromise, was an agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. It defined the legislative structure and representation each state would have under the United States Constitution. The compromise established equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House of Representatives.
The Three-Fifths Compromise, also known as the Three-Fifths Clause, was a provision in the United States Constitution that counted three-fifths of each state's enslaved population toward that state's total population for the purpose of legislative representation and taxation. This gave slaveholding states extra representation in the House of Representatives and the Electoral College. The Three-Fifths Compromise was included in Article I, Section II, Paragraph III of the Constitution, which stated that "Representatives and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States... according to their respective Numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole Number of free Persons... three-fifths of all other Persons [enslaved people]."
The inclusion of the Three-Fifths Compromise in the Constitution can be seen as a protection for slaveholders, as it gave them increased political power and representation. The compromise was proposed by Roger Sherman and supported by delegates from both large and small states. The larger states, which had a higher population of enslaved people, stood to benefit from the increased representation that came with counting their enslaved population. The smaller states, meanwhile, may have supported the compromise as a way to maintain the balance of power between the states.
Additionally, the Constitutional Convention of 1787 included a bitter debate over the regulation of the Atlantic slave trade. The convention ultimately adopted the Fugitive Slave Clause, which required the return of runaway slaves to their owners. The Constitution also included a 20-year ban on any restrictions on the Atlantic slave trade and gave the federal government the power to put down domestic rebellions, including slave insurrections. These provisions can be seen as further protections for slaveholders, as they ensured the continuation of slavery and made it easier for slaveholders to retrieve runaway slaves.
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Frequently asked questions
The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise or the Sherman Compromise, was an agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. It defined the legislative structure and representation each state would have under the United States Constitution.
The disagreement was over congressional representation. Delegates from larger states believed that each state's representation in the newly proposed Senate should be proportional to its population. On the other hand, delegates from smaller states demanded equal representation, arguing that despite their lower populations, their states held equal legal status to that of the larger states.
The Great Compromise resulted in a bicameral Congress, with two national legislatures. In the House of Representatives, members would be allocated according to each state's population and elected by the people. In the Senate, each state would have equal representation, with two representatives regardless of the state's size, chosen by state legislatures.
The Great Compromise resolved one of the most controversial aspects of the drafting of the Constitution. It was a crucial step in the ratification process, as delegates from both sides had threatened to reject the Constitution if they didn't get their way. The compromise also had long-lasting political effects, with states with smaller populations having a disproportionately bigger voice in the nation's Congress compared to more populous states.
