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The Virginia Plan: A Blueprint for a New National Government

The Virginia Plan was a cornerstone in the creation of the U.S. Constitution, proposing a strong federal government with three branches and a bicameral legislature. It addressed the shortcomings of the Articles of Confederation by suggesting a system with checks and balances, a national judiciary, and mechanisms for admitting new states. The plan's influence led to the Great Compromise, which balanced representation in Congress between populous and smaller states.

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1

The ______ Plan, introduced during the ______ Convention of 1787, suggested a new government structure for the U.S.

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Virginia Constitutional

2

The Virginia Plan proposed a federal government with three branches: ______, ______, and ______.

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legislative executive judicial

3

Under the Virginia Plan, the legislature would be ______ and based on ______ population.

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bicameral state

4

The Virginia Plan favored larger states by advocating for ______ representation.

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proportional

5

The groundwork for the U.S. Constitution was laid by the Virginia Plan at the ______ in 1787.

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Constitutional Convention

6

Nature of government under Articles of Confederation

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Confederation of sovereign states with limited central power.

7

Confederation Congress's limitations

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Could not impose taxes, regulate commerce, or enforce laws.

8

Consequences of weak central government

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Economic turmoil, unpaid debts, trade disputes.

9

He suggested a system with ______ to maintain federal authority, including a ______ over state laws.

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checks and balances legislative veto

10

Prior to the Convention, ______, with help from ______ and others, carefully prepared the ______.

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Madison Edmund Randolph Virginia Plan

11

______ presented the plan to the assembly, underlining the need for a republic-based government to succeed the ______ and avert chaos.

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Randolph Articles of Confederation

12

Virginia Plan's legislative structure

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Proposed bicameral legislature; House elected by people, Senate chosen by House from state legislature lists.

13

Virginia Plan's executive proposal

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Recommended national executive elected for a single term, enhancing federal governance.

14

Judiciary under Virginia Plan

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Called for national judiciary with a supreme court, establishing a federal court system.

15

The ______ Plan suggested representation by population, which larger states liked but smaller states opposed.

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Virginia

16

Smaller states proposed the ______ Plan, favoring a single-chamber congress with equal representation.

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New Jersey

17

The ______, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, led to a two-chamber Congress in the U.S.

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Great Compromise

18

In the U.S. Congress, the House of Representatives is based on ______, while the Senate ensures ______ representation.

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population equal

19

The legislative structure of the U.S. government was established by combining the ______ and ______ Plans.

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Virginia New Jersey

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The Virginia Plan: A Blueprint for a New National Government

The Virginia Plan, presented at the Constitutional Convention of 1787, was a pivotal proposal that outlined the structure of a new national government for the United States. Devised primarily by James Madison and presented by Edmund Randolph, the plan called for a strong central government divided into three separate branches—legislative, executive, and judicial—and proposed a bicameral legislature with representation based on state population. This plan was central to the discussions at the Convention and laid the groundwork for the development of the U.S. Constitution by advocating for a system that favored larger states through proportional representation.
Late 18th century scene inside Independence Hall in Philadelphia with men in period clothing around a large mahogany table.

Challenges Under the Articles of Confederation

The Articles of Confederation, the nation's first constitution, created a confederation of sovereign states with a very limited central government. This structure proved ineffective at solving national problems, as the Confederation Congress lacked the authority to impose taxes, regulate interstate commerce, or enforce its own laws. These weaknesses led to economic turmoil, including unpaid war debts and trade disputes. The government's inability to address these issues, due to the lack of a national judiciary and executive, underscored the need for a new framework of government, which James Madison and other nationalists sought to provide through the Virginia Plan.

Madison's Vision and the Drafting of the Virginia Plan

James Madison envisioned a strong federal government that could prevent the tyranny of the majority while safeguarding minority rights. He proposed a system of checks and balances that included a legislative veto over state legislation to ensure federal supremacy. Before the Convention, Madison, with contributions from Edmund Randolph and others, meticulously drafted the Virginia Plan. Randolph then introduced it to the delegates, emphasizing the necessity of a government rooted in republican ideals to replace the ineffective Articles of Confederation and prevent the descent into anarchy.

Key Resolutions of the Virginia Plan

The Virginia Plan proposed a fundamental restructuring of the national government, drawing inspiration from state constitutions while enhancing federal authority. It suggested a bicameral legislature with the lower house (House of Representatives) directly elected by the people and the upper house (Senate) chosen by the lower house from lists provided by state legislatures. The plan significantly broadened the scope of legislative powers, recommended the establishment of a national executive elected for a single term, and called for the creation of a national judiciary, including a supreme court. It also provided mechanisms for the admission of new states to the Union and for amending the Constitution.

Debate and Compromise at the Constitutional Convention

The Virginia Plan's proposal for representation based on state population was met with approval from more populous states but encountered resistance from smaller states, which favored equal representation regardless of population size. In response, the New Jersey Plan was introduced, advocating for a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state. The intense debates between proponents of the two plans ultimately led to the Great Compromise, or the Connecticut Compromise, which created a bicameral Congress with a House of Representatives based on population and a Senate with equal representation from each state. This compromise effectively merged the Virginia and New Jersey Plans, establishing the legislative framework of the United States government.