Which plan was the basis for creating a bicameral legislature with a House of Representatives based on population?

Which plan was the basis for creating a bicameral legislature with a House of Representatives based on population?

• A. The New Jersey Plan
• B. The Virginia Plan
• C. The Great Compromise
• D. The Articles of Confederation

Answer: (C)

Representation in a new national legislature was being debated between equal-state voice and population-based influence. The Virginia Plan argued for a two-house legislature with representation tied to a state's population (and wealth), which would give larger states more power. The New Jersey Plan pushed for a unicameral Congress with each state having the same number of representatives, protecting smaller states. The Great Compromise merged these ideas, creating a two-house Congress: the House of Representatives would be based on population, while the Senate would have equal representation for each state (two senators per state). This blend made the House's population-based representation possible while preserving state equality in the other chamber, forming the basis for the bicameral structure we have today.

Representation in a new national legislature was being debated between equal-state voice and population-based influence. The Virginia Plan argued for a two-house legislature with representation tied to a state's population (and wealth), which would give larger states more power. The New Jersey Plan pushed for a unicameral Congress with each state having the same number of representatives, protecting smaller states. The Great Compromise merged these ideas, creating a two-house Congress: the House of Representatives would be based on population, while the Senate would have equal representation for each state (two senators per state). This blend made the House's population-based representation possible while preserving state equality in the other chamber, forming the basis for the bicameral structure we have today.