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The plan that gave more power to small states was the New Jersey Plan, proposed during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. Unlike the Virginia Plan, which favored representation based on population and thus advantaged larger states, the New Jersey Plan suggested that each state should have an equal number of representatives regardless of its population. This plan was favored by the smaller states because it would allow them to have as much influence in the legislative process as the larger states.
The Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan were two competing proposals put forward during the crafting of the United States Constitution. The primary concern was how states should be represented in Congress. The Virginia Plan proposed a two-house legislature with representation in both houses based on state population, which would naturally grant larger states more power. On the other hand, the New Jersey Plan proposed a single-house legislature with equal representation for each state, much like the system in place under the Articles of Confederation.
The conflict between the two plans was resolved by the Connecticut Compromise (also known as the Great Compromise), which created a bicameral legislature. The compromise led to the creation of two houses of Congress:
1. The Senate, where each state, regardless of size, would have two senators (adopting the principle of the New Jersey Plan). 2. The House of Representatives, where representation would be based on population (following the Virginia Plan's approach).
This compromise ensured that both small and large states were given fair and proportional representation, balancing their powers and needs within the federal legislative framework. It's one of the key examples of how the Constitution was designed to accommodate diverse interests and promote unity among the states.