What was the Virginia Plan?

The Virginia Plan was a significant proposal presented during the Constitutional Convention in 1787 that advocated for representation in Congress to be based on the population of each state. This approach was rooted in the belief that larger states should have more influence in the legislative process because they had larger populations. The plan called for a bicameral legislature, meaning it would have two houses, both of which would reflect this population-based representation. This contrasted with the New Jersey Plan, which favored equal representation for each state regardless of size. The Virginia Plan played a crucial role in shaping the discussions around congressional representation and ultimately led to the Great Compromise, which established a balance between population-based and equal representation in the new legislative framework of the United States.