How will the
Government Represent the People?
For the framers of the U.S. government, answering this
question meant deciding upon the fundamental setup of the government
itself.
The question was discussed at length at the Constitutional
Convention in 1787, where the interests of large states versus those of smaller states
came into conflict.
Two major plans came into debate at the Convention,
one proposed by the populous state of Virginia, and another by the less populous state
of New Jersey.