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The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was an agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that resolved a dispute about how states should be represented in Congress. The convention was marked by intense debate and negotiation, with topics discussed including representation, the powers of the federal government, and the balance between state and national interests. The Great Compromise provided a dual system of congressional representation, with each state assigned a number of seats in proportion to its population in the House of Representatives, and all states having the same number of seats in the Senate.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Date | 16 July 1787 |
| Location | Independence Hall, Philadelphia |
| Purpose | To settle a dispute about how states should be represented in Congress |
| Large states | Wanted representation based on population |
| Small states | Wanted equal representation for all states |
| House of Representatives | Each state would have "one representative for every 40,000 inhabitants", elected by the people |
| Senate | Each state would have an equal vote with members elected by the individual state legislatures |
| Outcome | A dual system of congressional representation |
| Legacy | The balance of power remains a fundamental aspect of the U.S. legislative system |
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What You'll Learn
The Great Compromise established a two-house legislature
The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was an agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. It established a two-house legislature in the United States, resolving a dispute about how states should be represented in Congress.
The Constitutional Convention was a significant event in American history. It took place in Philadelphia in 1787, with delegates from all thirteen original states gathering to discuss the creation of a new government. The convention was marked by intense debate and negotiation, with topics including representation, the powers of the federal government, and the balance between state and national interests.
The primary disagreement was between large and small states. Larger states wanted representation in Congress to be based on population, while smaller states wanted equal representation for all states. This conflict threatened the success of the convention, as the delegates could not agree on a government structure that fairly represented the interests of both large and small states.
The Great Compromise provided a dual system of congressional representation. In the House of Representatives, each state would be assigned a number of seats in proportion to its population. In the Senate, all states would have the same number of seats, with each state having two members. This compromise ensured that the interests of both large and small states would be represented in the new government structure.
The Great Compromise was crucial in uniting the delegates and led to the creation of the United States Constitution. It established the legislative structure and representation that each state would have under the Constitution. The compromise was later amended to include "three-fifths of the slaves" in a state's total population for representation purposes. This amendment further complicated the issue of popular representation in the House.
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It resolved a dispute about how states should be represented in Congress
The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was an agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. It resolved a dispute about how states should be represented in Congress, establishing a two-house legislature in the United States. The dispute was between large states, which wanted representation based on population, and small states, which wanted equal representation for all states. The Compromise provided for a bicameral legislature, with proportional representation based on a state's population in one chamber (the House of Representatives) and equal state representation in the other (the Senate).
The Compromise was proposed by Roger Sherman, with support from Oliver Ellsworth, and it retained the bicameral legislature proposed earlier by Edmund Randolph of the Virginia delegation. Under the Compromise, each state would have a number of seats in the House of Representatives proportional to its population, while in the Senate, all states would have the same number of seats. This arrangement was a new idea at the time and was crucial in uniting the delegates, ensuring that the interests of both large and small states were fairly represented in the new government structure.
The Great Compromise was amended to include "three-fifths of the slaves" in a state's population when determining representation in the House of Representatives. This amendment further complicated the issue of popular representation in the House. The Compromise also addressed the selection of senators, with the original agreement stating that senators would be elected by the individual state legislatures rather than by popular vote. However, in 1913, the Seventeenth Amendment was ratified, requiring members of the Senate to be elected by the people.
The Great Compromise was a key agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention, and it remains a fundamental aspect of the U.S. legislative system today. It addressed the critical issue of state representation in Congress, ensuring that both large and small states had their interests fairly represented in the new government structure.
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It addressed the balance of power 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 addressed the balance of power between large and small states by establishing a two-house legislature in the United States, resolving a dispute about how states should be represented in Congress.
The primary disagreement was over the representation of states in Congress. Larger states, because of their larger populations and the greater number of people to represent, wanted representation based on population. Smaller states, on the other hand, wanted equal representation for all states. They feared that if representation were based solely on population, they would be overpowered by the larger states and their interests would be ignored.
The Great Compromise provided a dual system of congressional representation. In the House of Representatives, each state would be assigned a number of seats in proportion to its population. In the Senate, all states would have the same number of seats, with each state having equal suffrage and two members. This compromise ensured that the interests of both large and small states were fairly represented in the new government structure.
The Great Compromise was crucial in uniting the delegates and it remains a fundamental aspect of the U.S. legislative system today. It provided a solution to the intense debate over representation, allowing the Constitutional Convention to succeed in creating a new government structure that balanced the interests of both large and small states.
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The Compromise included a modified form of the Virginia Plan
The Great Compromise of 1787, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was an agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention. The Compromise addressed the issue of how states should be represented in Congress. It established a two-house legislature in the United States, with proportional representation in the House of Representatives and equal representation in the Senate.
The Virginia Plan, drafted by James Madison and introduced by Edmund Randolph, proposed a bicameral national legislature with proportional representation in both houses, based on each state's population. This plan favoured larger states. However, delegates from small states objected, arguing that their interests would be ignored if representation was based solely on population.
To address this dispute, the Great Compromise adopted a modified form of the Virginia Plan. It retained the proposal for a two-house legislature but incorporated a key modification: equal representation in the Senate. This ensured that the interests of both large and small states were represented in the new government structure.
The Compromise provided that in the House of Representatives, each state would be assigned a number of seats in proportion to its population. In contrast, the Senate would provide all states with the same number of seats, regardless of their population. This dual system of representation balanced the powers of large and small states in the legislative process.
The adoption of the Great Compromise was a crucial moment in the creation of the United States Constitution. It resolved a contentious issue that threatened to derail the Convention. By accommodating the concerns of both large and small states, the Compromise demonstrated a commitment to fairness and representation in the founding principles of the nation.
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It led to the Three-Fifths Compromise
The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was an agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. It established a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the lower house (the House of Representatives) and equal representation of the states in the upper house (the Senate). This resolved a dispute between larger states, which wanted representation based on population, and smaller states, which wanted equal representation for all states.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was an agreement that emerged from the Great Compromise. It addressed the issue of how to include slaves in a state's total population for the purposes of representation in the House of Representatives, the allocation of electoral votes, and taxation. Slaveholding states wanted their entire population to be counted, while free states wanted to exclude the counting of slave populations. A compromise was struck, counting three-fifths of each state's slave population toward its total population for the purpose of apportioning the House of Representatives. This gave Southern states more power in the House relative to Northern states and effectively overrepresented slaveholding states in national politics.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was included in Article 1, Section 2, Clause 3 of the United States Constitution. While it did not appear in the unamended Constitution, the compromise gave slaveholding states the right to count three-fifths of their enslaved population when allocating representatives to Congress. This same ratio was used to determine the federal tax contribution required of each state, increasing the direct federal tax burden on slaveholding states.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was proposed by James Madison and was included in the Federalist Papers. It was an attempt to balance the interests of both free and slaveholding states, but it ultimately failed to satisfy either side completely. The compromise was later superseded and explicitly repealed by Section 2 of the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868.
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Frequently asked questions
The Great Compromise settled the issue of how states would be represented in Congress.
Larger states wanted representation based on population, while smaller states wanted equal representation for all states.
The Great Compromise established a two-house legislature in the United States. In the House of Representatives, each state would be assigned a number of seats in proportion to its population. In the Senate, all states would have the same number of seats.
