Who proposed the New Jersey Plan?

The New Jersey Plan was proposed by William Paterson during the Constitutional Convention in 1787. This plan was designed to address the concerns of smaller states regarding representation in the newly proposed government. Paterson's plan called for a unicameral legislature where each state would have an equal vote, thereby ensuring that smaller states had an equal say in legislative matters, in contrast to the Virginia Plan, which favored larger states by proposing a system based on population.

Paterson's proposal emphasized the need for federal powers but retained the structure of the existing Articles of Confederation to appease smaller states. This plan sparked a significant debate on the issue of representation, ultimately leading to the Great Compromise, which resulted in a bicameral legislature with both equal representation for states in the Senate and proportional representation in the House of Representatives. Thus, William Paterson's contribution was crucial in shaping the outcome of the Convention and the overall structure of the U.S. government.