Why Did Small States Support the New Jersey Plan at the Constitutional Convention?

Small States and the New Jersey Plan

At the Constitutional convention, smaller states supported the New Jersey delegation's plan for government. But why did small states like this plan?

Understanding the New Jersey Plan

The New Jersey plan called for a legislature in which the number of representatives would be equal for each state. This was in contrast to the Virginia Plan, which proposed a bicameral legislature with representation based on population.

William Paterson's Proposal

The New Jersey Plan was proposed by William Paterson as a response to the Virginia Plan. The Virginia Plan favored more populous states like Virginia, which would have more representatives and power due to their larger population.

Equality for Small States

Small states, such as New Jersey, supported the New Jersey Plan because it ensured that all states would have equal representation in the legislature. This would prevent larger states from dominating the decision-making process.

Conclusion

In summary, small states supported the New Jersey Plan at the Constitutional Convention because it guaranteed equal representation for all states in the legislature. This was important to prevent larger states from having disproportionate power in the new government.

At the Constitutional convention, smaller states supported the New Jersey delegation's plan for government. Why did small states like this plan?

The New Jersey plan called for a legislature in which the number of representatives would be equal for each state. The New Jersey Plan was proposed by William Paterson in response to the Virginia Plan, which called for a bicameral (two houses) legislature in which the states would be represented based on their population - consequently, more populous states, such as Virginia, would have more representatives, and therefore more power, than their smaller counterparts, such as New Jersey. For that reason, the New Jersey Plan called for an unicameral (one house) legislature in which all states would be represented equally.