GED Social Studies TestCivics and GovernmentMedium
During the Constitutional Convention, delegates debated extensively over how states would be represented in the new national legislature. Large states favored representation based on population, while small states demanded equal representation. The eventual compromise created a bicameral legislature with a House of Representatives based on population and a Senate with equal representation for each state. This resolution is known as the:
- AThree-Fifths Compromise
- BElectoral College Compromise
- CCommerce Compromise
- DGreat Compromise (Connecticut Compromise)
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: D. Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise)
The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, resolved the dispute between large and small states over legislative representation by creating a bicameral Congress with proportional representation in the House and equal representation in the Senate.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. The Three-Fifths Compromise dealt with how enslaved people would be counted for representation and taxation, not the structure of the legislature itself.
- B. The Electoral College Compromise determined the method for electing the President, not the structure of the legislative branch.
- C. The Commerce Compromise addressed the regulation of trade and tariffs, not legislative representation.
Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise)
A major agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention that established a bicameral legislature, balancing representation between large and small states.
- Created the House of Representatives (population-based)
- Created the Senate (equal representation per state)
- Resolved the Virginia Plan vs. New Jersey Plan debate
Memory trick: The 'Great' Compromise made a 'great' Congress.