Malcolm Rivera
The New Jersey Plan was one of two competing proposals for the structure and functioning of the US government, introduced at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. Proposed by William Paterson, the plan aimed to protect the interests of smaller states such as New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. The plan sought to amend the Articles of Confederation, maintaining a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state, while expanding Congress's power to raise revenue and regulate commerce and foreign affairs. The New Jersey Plan was ultimately rejected in favour of the Virginia Plan, which formed the basis of the US Constitution.
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What You'll Learn
The New Jersey Plan was an alternative to the Virginia Plan
The New Jersey Plan, on the other hand, proposed a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state, regardless of population size. It was introduced on June 15, 1787, by William Paterson, with the support of delegates from Connecticut, Maryland, and New York. The plan aimed to protect the interests of smaller states, such as New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland, by giving each state one vote in Congress, as under the Articles of Confederation.
The New Jersey Plan sought to amend the Articles of Confederation, strengthening the central government while preserving the independence of the states. It proposed expanding Congress's powers, including the authority to raise revenue through tariffs and other measures, regulate interstate and foreign commerce, and enforce its enactments with an executive and judicial branch.
The debate between the two plans centred on the issue of proportional representation. The Virginia Plan's proponents argued for a stronger national government, while the New Jersey Plan's supporters wanted to maintain the power and independence of smaller states. Despite the New Jersey Plan's rejection, elements of it were incorporated into the final Constitution through the Connecticut Compromise, which created the current structure of Congress, with equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House of Representatives.
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It proposed a unicameral legislature
The New Jersey Plan was an alternative proposal to the Virginia Plan, which was presented by delegates from Virginia, including the state's governor, Edmund Randolph. The Virginia Plan called for membership in two houses of the national legislature to be allocated to each state proportional to its population. This would have resulted in larger states having more representatives and, therefore, more power.
Fearing that their interests would be overshadowed by those of the larger states, delegates from less populous states, including Connecticut, Delaware, and New Jersey, proposed the New Jersey Plan. Introduced on June 15, 1787, by William Paterson, the head of the New Jersey delegation, the plan called for a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state, regardless of population.
This proposal reflected the belief that the states were independent entities that had freely and individually entered the United States, retaining their sovereignty and independence. The plan aimed to amend the Articles of Confederation, expanding Congress's power while maintaining the form of government under those Articles. Specifically, the plan sought to grant Congress additional powers to raise revenue and regulate commerce, including the power to tax imports and regulate interstate and foreign commerce.
The New Jersey Plan also proposed the addition of an executive, elected by Congress, and a judicial branch, with the acts and treaties of Congress being "the supreme law of the respective States." This would ensure that Congress had the authority to enforce its enactments and maintain a strong central government.
Despite its proponents' efforts, the New Jersey Plan was ultimately rejected by the delegates. However, through what became known as the Connecticut Compromise or the Great Compromise, elements of the New Jersey Plan were incorporated into the final structure of Congress. This compromise resulted in a Senate with equal representation for each state and a House of Representatives with representatives apportioned based on population.
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It was designed to protect the power of small states
The New Jersey Plan, introduced by William Paterson on June 15, 1787, was designed to protect the power of small states in the US government. The plan was one of two major competing proposals for the structure and functioning of the US government presented at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787. The New Jersey Plan aimed to benefit small states like New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland by providing for equal representation in a unicameral legislature, regardless of population. This would prevent larger states with more representatives from having a greater share of power.
The plan proposed to amend the Articles of Confederation, adding powers to Congress to raise revenue and regulate commerce and foreign affairs. It also sought to strengthen the ability to enforce its enactments with the addition of an executive, elected by Congress, and a judicial branch. The New Jersey Plan was rejected by the convention, with seven states voting against it, three in favour, and one divided. Despite this, its proponents were not without some success in shaping the final Constitution. Through what became known as the Connecticut Compromise, the idea of equal representation for states in one branch of Congress (the Senate) was included in the final Constitution.
The New Jersey Plan was proposed as an alternative to the Virginia Plan, which had been presented earlier by delegates from Virginia, including Edmund Randolph. The Virginia Plan called for membership in both houses of the national legislature to be allocated to each state proportionally to its population. This idea of proportional representation caused concern among less populous states, who feared their interests would be overshadowed by those of larger states. As a result, small state delegates, led by Paterson, proposed the New Jersey Plan, which maintained the idea of each state having equal representation in Congress, as under the Articles of Confederation.
The New Jersey Plan's proposal to amend rather than replace the Articles of Confederation also reflected the small states' desire to retain the "federal" principle and the belief that the states were independent entities. The plan's supporters argued that the Articles should be revised to make them "adequate to the exigencies of Government and the preservation of the Union." This position stood in contrast to the Virginia Plan's proposal for a new form of "national" government, which threatened to dilute the power of smaller states.
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It expanded the powers of Congress
The New Jersey Plan was one of two competing proposals for the structure and functioning of the United States government, introduced at the Constitutional Convention in 1787. It was proposed by William Paterson, who led the New Jersey delegates, and was intended to benefit small states such as New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland.
The plan called for a unicameral legislature, with each state having equal representation, regardless of its population. This reflected the belief that the states were independent entities, retaining their sovereignty and power. The New Jersey Plan proposed to amend the Articles of Confederation, rather than replace them, and aimed to expand the powers of Congress.
Under the plan, Congress would gain the authority to raise revenue through tariffs, taxes on imports, a stamp tax, and postage, as well as regulate interstate commerce and commerce with other nations. This expansion of powers was designed to address the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation, which had failed to provide adequate governing power for the union. The New Jersey Plan also sought to strengthen the ability of Congress to enforce its enactments by adding an executive, elected by Congress, and a judicial branch.
While the New Jersey Plan did not ultimately succeed, it significantly influenced the final structure of Congress. Through the Connecticut Compromise, which reconciled the New Jersey and Virginia Plans, Congress was established with a Senate, providing equal representation for states, and a House of Representatives, with representation based on population. This compromise ensured that the interests of both small and large states were considered in the final Constitution.
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It was rejected in favour of the Virginia Plan
The New Jersey Plan, proposed by William Paterson, was an alternative to the Virginia Plan, proposed by James Madison. The New Jersey Plan was designed to protect the security and power of smaller states, such as New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland, by limiting each state to one vote in Congress, as under the Articles of Confederation. This would have retained more authority for the states, rather than creating a strong national government.
The Virginia Plan, on the other hand, proposed a stronger national government with a bicameral legislature based on population. This would have given more power to the larger states, such as New York and Virginia. The Virginia Plan also included the creation of a national executive and judiciary, which the New Jersey Plan also incorporated.
The New Jersey Plan was rejected by a vote of seven states against and three in favour, with one state divided. This was despite the fact that the plan significantly expanded Congress's power. The delegates from the more populous states heavily criticised the plan, and those from the less populous states failed to fully defend it. Even some of those who had helped Paterson write the plan voted against it.
Following the rejection of the New Jersey Plan, elements of both plans were combined to create the Connecticut Compromise, which forms the current structure of Congress. This compromise included a bicameral legislature, with the House of Representatives apportioned by population as per the Virginia Plan, and the Senate apportioned equally by state as per the New Jersey Plan.
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Frequently asked questions
The New Jersey Plan was a proposal for the structure and functioning of the United States government, presented as an alternative to the Virginia Plan. It was introduced by William Paterson, the head of the New Jersey delegation, on June 15, 1787.
The plan proposed a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state, regardless of population size. It also sought to amend the Articles of Confederation, granting Congress additional powers to raise revenue, regulate commerce and foreign affairs, and enforce its enactments.
The New Jersey Plan was proposed to protect the interests and power of smaller states, such as New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland. These states feared that proportional representation in Congress would result in their interests being overshadowed by larger states. The plan aimed to maintain a balance of power between the states and the central government.
