Isabella Carter
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It superseded the Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, on March 4, 1789. The Constitution's first three articles embody the doctrine of the separation of powers, in which the federal government is divided into three branches: the legislative, consisting of the bicameral Congress (Senate and House of Representatives) (Article I); the executive, consisting of the president and subordinate officers (Article II); and the judicial, consisting of the Supreme Court and other federal courts (Article III). The Constitution demonstrates a form of representation that reflects the interests of both large and small states. The Great Compromise or Connecticut Compromise proposed by the delegates in 1787, aimed to balance sectional interests by providing proportional representation in the House of Representatives based on population, with equal representation for each state in the Senate.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Legislative powers | Vested in a Congress of the United States, consisting of a Senate and House of Representatives |
| House of Representatives | Proportional representation based on population, with members chosen every second year by the people of the states |
| Senate | Equal representation for each state, with two senators from each state chosen by the state legislature for six years |
| Congress | Meets at least once a year, on the first Monday in December |
| Elections | Times, places, and manner of holding elections for Senators and Representatives prescribed by each state legislature |
| Quorum | Majority of each house constitutes a quorum to do business |
| Rules | Each house determines the rules of its proceedings |
| Impeachment | Sole power of impeachment rests with the House of Representatives |
| Bills | All bills for raising revenue originate in the House of Representatives, but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments |
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What You'll Learn
The Great Compromise
The delegates were divided over the representation in each branch of Congress. The larger states argued that their greater contribution of financial and defensive resources to the nation meant they should have a greater say in the central government. The smaller states, on the other hand, wanted equal representation in the Senate.
The compromise was proposed by Roger Sherman and other delegates from Connecticut and supported by Oliver Ellsworth. It was adopted on July 16, 1787, after a long and contentious debate, with several delegates, including James Madison, Rufus King, and Gouverneur Morris, vigorously opposing it. The Great Compromise helped to allay the fears of both large and small states and held the Union together, but it also perpetuated the institution of slavery and allowed less populous states to maintain disproportionate representation.
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Connecticut Compromise
The Connecticut Compromise, also known as the Great Compromise of 1787 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 retained the bicameral legislature, with proportional representation of the states in the lower house (the House of Representatives) and equal representation of the states in the upper house (the Senate). Each state was given two members in the Senate, regardless of its population. This compromise aimed to resolve the dispute between small and large states over representation in the new federal government.
The delegates from small states and large states disagreed on the apportionment of representation in the federal government. Edmund Randolph proposed the Virginia Plan, or large-state plan, which provided for a bicameral legislature with representation based on state population or wealth. On the other hand, William Paterson proposed the New Jersey Plan, or small-state plan, which advocated for equal representation in Congress.
The Connecticut Compromise, proposed by Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth, offered a middle ground. It suggested a dual system of representation, with the upper house having equal representation from each state and the lower house having proportional representation based on state population. This compromise allowed for the continuation of deliberations and led to the Three-fifths Compromise, which further addressed the issue of popular representation in the House.
The Compromise was a creative solution to the issue of representation in the Constitution, balancing the needs and concerns of small and large states. It demonstrated the delegates' willingness to compromise and work together to create a unified nation.
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Bicameral legislature
The United States Constitution establishes a bicameral legislature, which means that the legislative branch of the federal government is divided into two houses: the Senate and the House of Representatives. This type of legislative structure is known as bicameralism, and it is intended to provide a system of checks and balances within the legislative process.
The idea of a bicameral legislature was influenced by historical republics and other countries that the Founding Fathers studied, including the United Kingdom's bicameral parliament. The Founders believed that a two-chambered legislature would offer several advantages. James Madison, for instance, argued that bicameralism would create two distinct groups of people who could "watch and check each other." This concept was further supported by future Supreme Court Justice James Iredell, who emphasised the importance of dividing the legislative body into two branches to provide "double security" for the people. He suggested that a single legislative body could be susceptible to the influence of a "bare majority," leading to the passage of detrimental measures. With a bicameral system, the likelihood of both branches approving a right measure or one branch opposing or amending a wrong measure is increased.
The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, addressed the makeup of the two houses in the US bicameral legislature. It proposed proportional representation in the lower house, the House of Representatives, based on each state's population. Members of the House of Representatives are elected by popular vote, with each state receiving a number of representatives proportional to its population. On the other hand, the upper house, the Senate, was designed to provide equal representation for each state, with each state having two senators. Initially, senators were chosen by state legislatures, but since the ratification of the 17th Amendment in 1913, senators have been elected by popular vote.
The bicameral legislature in the United States has resulted in a powerful Congress, with the Senate and the House of Representatives serving as checks and balances on each other. This system ensures that laws are carefully considered and that the interests of both the states and the people are represented.
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Proportional representation in the House
The United States Constitution outlines a system of representation in the House based on population, also known as proportional representation. This means that each state's number of representatives is roughly proportional to its population size. This system, known as the Connecticut Compromise or the Great Compromise, was a creative solution to a controversial issue during the drafting of the Constitution.
The Connecticut Compromise proposed a bicameral legislature, consisting of a lower house (the House of Representatives) with proportional representation and an upper house (the Senate) with equal representation for each state. This compromise aimed to balance the interests of large and small states and ensure fair representation for all citizens.
The House of Representatives, as the name suggests, is intended to represent the people, with members chosen every second year by the voters in each state. The number of representatives per state is determined by a formula that considers the state's population, including the \"whole number of white and other free citizens\" and \"three-fifths of all other persons,\" referring to enslaved African Americans at the time.
The Constitution provides for both minimum and maximum sizes for the House of Representatives, with the current number of representatives with full voting rights set at 435 since 1913. This number is proportionate to the population, ensuring that each representative represents a similar number of citizens.
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Equal representation in the Senate
The United States Constitution establishes a bicameral national legislature, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. While the House of Representatives is based on proportional population representation, the Senate provides for equal representation from each state, regardless of its population, wealth, power, or size.
The Senate of the United States is composed of two senators from each state, each of whom has one vote. This principle of equal representation in the Senate is enshrined in Article I, Section 3, Clause 1 of the Constitution and was later affirmed by the Seventeenth Amendment, which provided for the popular election of senators rather than their selection by state legislatures.
The Founding Fathers intentionally designed the Senate to give equal representation to each state. This was done to prevent the consolidation of power in larger states and to protect the interests of smaller states. By requiring the concurrence of both the House and the Senate for passing laws, the Founding Fathers ensured that national and federal interests were considered in the legislative process.
James Madison, in Federalist No. 62, wrote:
> " [T]he equal vote allowed to each State is at once a constitutional recognition of that portion of sovereignty remaining in the individual States, and an instrument for preserving that residuary sovereignty. So far the equality ought to be no less acceptable to the large than to the small States; since they are not less solicitous to guard, by every possible expedient, against an improper consolidation of the States into one simple republic."
The principle of equal representation in the Senate has been a cornerstone of the federal nature of the US government, ensuring that all states, regardless of their size or population, have an equal voice in the legislative process.
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Frequently asked questions
The Connecticut Compromise, also known as the "Great Compromise", was proposed by Connecticut's Roger Sherman and suggested that the House of Representatives should have proportional representation based on population, while each state in the Senate should have equal representation.
The Three-Fifths Compromise was an agreement that three-fifths of slaves would be counted as part of the population for representation in the federal government.
The New Jersey Plan was proposed by William Paterson as a response to the defeat of the motion for equal representation in the Senate. It suggested a unicameral (one-house) legislature in which each state had a single vote.
