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What was the Great Compromise?
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The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was a pivotal agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 in Philadelphia. The Convention was tasked with creating a new system of government for the United States, as the Articles of Confederation proved to be weak and ineffective.
The Great Compromise resolved the contentious issue of representation in the legislative branch, which had been a major point of contention between the states. The compromise was primarily brokered by Roger Sherman of Connecticut and became a crucial component of the final draft of the United States Constitution.
The main disagreement revolved around how representation in the legislative body would be determined. The larger states, such as Virginia, favored a system known as proportional representation, where each state’s representation would be based on its population. On the other hand, smaller states, such as New Jersey, argued for equal representation, where each state would have the same number of representatives regardless of its size.
To bridge this divide, the Great Compromise proposed a bicameral legislature with two separate chambers: the House of Representatives and the Senate.
The House of Representatives: The lower chamber of Congress, the House of Representatives, would have representation based on each state’s population. Larger states would have more representatives, reflecting their greater population size. This satisfied the demands of the larger states for proportional representation.
The Senate: The upper chamber, the Senate, would have equal representation for all states, regardless of population. Each state, regardless of its size, would have two senators. This addressed the concerns of the smaller states, ensuring that they would have an equal voice in the legislative process.
The Great Compromise struck a delicate balance between the competing interests of large and small states, providing a framework that was acceptable to both sides. This compromise was crucial in securing the support of the states for the new Constitution and paved the way for its eventual ratification.
The Great Compromise had a lasting impact on the structure and functioning of the United States government. It established a bicameral legislature that balanced the interests of both larger and smaller states, ensuring that neither group was overly dominant. This compromise became a fundamental principle of representation in the United States, and it remains a fundamental aspect of the country’s political system to this day.
