GED Social Studies TestCivics and GovernmentMedium
A historian is lecturing on the constitutional convention. They explain that a major point of contention was how states would be represented in the new national legislature, with larger states favoring proportional representation and smaller states advocating for equal representation. This disagreement was ultimately resolved by the creation of a bicameral legislature. This resolution is known as the:
- AThree-Fifths Compromise
- BElectoral College Compromise
- CGreat Compromise (Connecticut Compromise)
- DCommerce and Slave Trade Compromise
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. 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 legislature 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.
- B. The Electoral College Compromise established the method for electing the President.
- D. The Commerce and Slave Trade Compromise addressed federal regulation of trade and the future of the slave trade.
Great Compromise
A landmark agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention that defined the legislative structure and representation for each state under the U.S. Constitution.
- Resolved the dispute between the Virginia Plan (proportional representation) and the New Jersey Plan (equal representation).
- Created a bicameral legislature: the House of Representatives (based on population) and the Senate (equal representation for each state).
- Also known as the Connecticut Compromise.
Memory trick: The 'Great' solution for state size.