What states supported the New Jersey Plan?
The New Jersey Plan, proposed by William Paterson during the Constitutional Convention of 1787, was a significant piece of the debate over the structure of the new American government. This plan called for a unicameral legislature, where each state would have an equal number of votes, regardless of its population. While the Virginia Plan, advocated by James Madison, proposed a bicameral legislature with representation based on population, the New Jersey Plan garnered support from several states. This article explores the states that supported the New Jersey Plan and the reasons behind their backing.>
In the early stages of the Constitutional Convention, the New Jersey Plan faced strong opposition from the larger states, such as Virginia and Pennsylvania, which had larger populations and were concerned about losing influence in a government where representation was based solely on population. However, the New Jersey Plan received backing from several smaller states, including:
1. Delaware: As the smallest state in terms of population, Delaware was a strong proponent of the New Jersey Plan. It believed that the plan would ensure that smaller states had a fair voice in the national government.
2. New Jersey: The state that gave the plan its name was one of its most ardent supporters. New Jersey was concerned about the potential dominance of larger states in a bicameral legislature.
3. Pennsylvania: Initially supporting the Virginia Plan, Pennsylvania later joined the New Jersey Plan’s supporters, recognizing the need for a compromise that would protect the interests of smaller states.
4. New York: New York was another state that supported the New Jersey Plan, as it was concerned about the potential for larger states to exert disproportionate influence over the national government.
5. North Carolina: North Carolina joined the ranks of the New Jersey Plan supporters, hoping to secure a fair representation for smaller states in the new government.
The support for the New Jersey Plan from these smaller states was based on several key principles:
1. Fair representation: Smaller states believed that the New Jersey Plan would ensure that each state, regardless of its size, had an equal say in the national government.
2. Protection of state sovereignty: The New Jersey Plan’s unicameral structure was seen as a way to prevent the potential overreach of a strong central government, which smaller states feared could occur under the Virginia Plan’s bicameral legislature.
3. Economic interests: Smaller states were concerned that the Virginia Plan’s focus on population-based representation would favor the economic interests of larger states, potentially harming their own economic growth.
In the end, the New Jersey Plan was not adopted as the basis for the structure of the new American government. The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was agreed upon, which created a bicameral legislature with representation in the House of Representatives based on population and equal representation in the Senate. However, the support for the New Jersey Plan from these smaller states played a crucial role in shaping the debate over the structure of the national government and contributed to the eventual compromise.>
