This is the fifth post in our series leading up to the 225th
anniversary of the Constitution. By presenting the first
proposals, the Virginia delegation was able to set the stage for
the Constitutional Convention’s agenda. Many aspects of the
Virginia Plan favored the larger states. Using population, for
example, as the basis for representation in the legislature
would give Virginia far more votes than Delaware. The small
states did not care for that idea at all. On June 19, William
Paterson of New Jersey responded with 9 alternative proposals
known as the New Jersey Plan. His proposals called for a less
sweeping revision than Randolph’s Virginia Plan. By retaining
many features under the Articles of Confederation, such as a
unicameral legislature in which each state received a single,
equal vote, the New Jersey Plan leveled the playing field for
small states. The New Jersey Plan also aimed to fix weaknesses
in the existing government. For example, the plan called for
federal authority to regulate both inters