Differences Between the Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan
What are the differences between the Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan?
a. The Virginia Plan created a much stronger national government.
b. The Virginia Plan weighted representation in the national legislature by population, whereas the New Jersey Plan gave each state one vote.
c. The New Jersey Plan created a multimember executive, whereas the Virginia Plan created a one-person executive.
d. The New Jersey Plan created a single legislature, whereas the Virginia Plan called for a bicameral legislature.
e. The Virginia Plan strengthened the national government, whereas the New Jersey Plan weakened the national government.
Answer:
The differences between the Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan include representation, executive structure, and strength of the national government. Final answer: d. The New Jersey Plan created a single legislature, whereas the Virginia Plan called for a bicameral legislature.
The Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan were two proposed plans for the structure of the United States government at the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Each plan had its own set of unique features and differences that influenced the debate among the delegates.
The Virginia Plan was proposed by James Madison and called for a bicameral legislature, with representation based on population, favoring larger states. This plan also proposed a strong national government with three branches of government. On the other hand, the New Jersey Plan, put forward by William Paterson, proposed a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state, aiming to protect the interests of smaller states.
One of the key differences between the Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan was their approach to representation in the national legislature. The Virginia Plan favored larger states by weighting representation based on population, while the New Jersey Plan sought to provide each state with equal representation through one vote per state.
Another significant difference was in the executive structure proposed by each plan. The Virginia Plan called for a single executive, while the New Jersey plan proposed a multimember executive. This reflected differing views on how the executive branch should function and the concentration of power within it.
In terms of the strength of the national government, the Virginia Plan aimed to create a much stronger central government compared to the New Jersey Plan, which sought to maintain a more decentralized structure with equal state sovereignty.
Overall, the differences between the Virginia Plan and New Jersey Plan highlighted the contrasting interests of larger and smaller states, as well as differing views on the structure and powers of the federal government. These debates ultimately shaped the design of the government outlined in the U.S. Constitution.