What was the purpose of the New Jersey Plan?

The New Jersey Plan aimed to address the concerns of smaller states during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Its primary proposal was to create a unicameral legislature where each state would have equal representation, regardless of population size. This was in contrast to the Virginia Plan, which favored larger states by advocating for representation based on population.

The rationale behind the New Jersey Plan’s emphasis on equal representation was to ensure that smaller states would not be dominated by larger states in the legislative process. This plan was designed to protect the interests of all states, thereby promoting unity and cooperation among the different regions of the newly forming nation. The establishment of a unicameral legislature under the New Jersey Plan would maintain a balance of power and prevent larger states from completely overshadowing their smaller counterparts.

Ultimately, the New Jersey Plan was significant in that it led to the Great Compromise (or Connecticut Compromise), which created a bicameral legislature that combined aspects of both the New Jersey and Virginia Plans, establishing a House of Representatives based on population and a Senate with equal representation for each state.