The Great Compromise
“From the Constitutional Convention through the Age of Jackson, our nation was forged and held together by compromises.” I chose to cover 5 different compromises from this time period. They are: “The Great Compromise”, “The 3/5ths Compromise”, “Presidency Compromise”, “Tariff Compromise”, and “The Missouri Compromise”.
At the Constitutional Convention, which started May 1887, one of the nation’s first compromises was reached. There were two plans that were up for debate. William Paterson of New Jersey had a plan and so did James Madison of Virginia. Paterson introduced his New Jersey plan. The plan would allow the national government to increase their revenue, which meant less national debt and states could control their own laws. New Jersey and the other small states would be equal to the populous states because each state would have one vote in a unicameral legislature. Which meant that only one house of legislature would exist.
James Madison of Virginia’s plan put the national government in control, and of course, favored the larger states. The first part of Madison’s plan gave the national government power over the states, which meant that national government could overturn state laws. Second, the people would create the national government, not the states. Lastly, the way in which elections were held would be a 3 layered system; the people would vote to elect candidates to the legislature and then those representatives would pick the members of the senate and then both houses would decide whom to put into the executive and judiciary. This favored the populous states because they would have more representation in the legislature.
Madison’s plan left the less populous states with no chance of power in the national government. The other big problem with both of these plans was that the majority of citizens would not accept neither plans the way they were originally presented. If the nation’s people didn’t agree with what the delegates
At the Constitutional Convention, which started May 1887, one of the nation’s first compromises was reached. There were two plans that were up for debate. William Paterson of New Jersey had a plan and so did James Madison of Virginia. Paterson introduced his New Jersey plan. The plan would allow the national government to increase their revenue, which meant less national debt and states could control their own laws. New Jersey and the other small states would be equal to the populous states because each state would have one vote in a unicameral legislature. Which meant that only one house of legislature would exist.
James Madison of Virginia’s plan put the national government in control, and of course, favored the larger states. The first part of Madison’s plan gave the national government power over the states, which meant that national government could overturn state laws. Second, the people would create the national government, not the states. Lastly, the way in which elections were held would be a 3 layered system; the people would vote to elect candidates to the legislature and then those representatives would pick the members of the senate and then both houses would decide whom to put into the executive and judiciary. This favored the populous states because they would have more representation in the legislature.
Madison’s plan left the less populous states with no chance of power in the national government. The other big problem with both of these plans was that the majority of citizens would not accept neither plans the way they were originally presented. If the nation’s people didn’t agree with what the delegates