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Constitutional Convention Pros And Cons

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Although the ‘New World’ declared independence in 1776, by 1787 the United States of America had yet to agree on a constitution that would satisfy the varying needs of each existing state. One of the major debates was over whether the new legislature would give each state representatives based on that state's population or if each state would have equal representation. The larger states desired more influence with proportional representation, but the smaller ones feared that their views would be encroached on if such a system were put into place. The proposal came from Roger Sherman, a Superior Court Judge of Connecticut, who had previously been a delegate during the independence debates of 1776. Sherman's Connecticut Compromise, also known as The Great Compromise, outlined a system for …show more content…

Most delegates from the Constitutional Convention belonged to diverse backgrounds that undoubtedly translated into their opposing political views. The states, represented by these distinct delegates, came with their own sets of differing beliefs. Various views presented multiple issues for the Constitutional Convention. These opposing approaches were visibly evident through the Virginia and New Jersey Plans. The larger states favored the Virginia Plan with each state represented based on population, while the smaller states favored the New Jersey Plan whose ideals pushed for equal representation amongst all the states. The debate persisted until, a delegate from Connecticut, proposed a two-house legislature consisting of a House of Representatives and a Senate. The House of Representatives would include one representative for every 30,000 individuals in a state, while the senate would have an equal number of representatives from each state. This proposition pleased both the states with larger populations and the states with smaller populations which became known as the Great

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