Virginia Plan

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The Virginia Plan was a proposal at the 1787 Constitutional Convention that called for a strong national government with a bicameral legislature based on state population, shaping the framework of the U.S. Constitution.

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Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf constitutional proposal
plan for government
alsoKnownAs Randolph Plan
calledFor bicameral legislature
council of revision
independent executive
legislative veto over state laws
national judiciary
representation based on population
separation of powers
strong national government
containsProvisionFor admission of new states
executive chosen by the national legislature
guarantee of republican government in the states
judiciary chosen by the national legislature
national legislature with general legislative power
contrastedWith New Jersey Plan
country United States of America
surface form: United States
favoredBy large states
historicalSignificance framework for the large-state position in 1787
starting point for debates over representation at the Constitutional Convention
influenced Article I of the United States Constitution
surface form: Article I of the U.S. Constitution

United States Constitution
concept of federal supremacy
structure of the U.S. Congress
jurisdiction proposed for the United States federal government
ledTo Great Compromise
surface form: Connecticut Compromise
legislatureStructure two houses
lowerHouseElectedBy the people
opposedBy delegates from New Jersey
small states
principalAuthor James Madison
proposedAt Constitutional Convention
surface form: Constitutional Convention of 1787
proposedBy Edmund Randolph
proposedByDelegationOf Virginia
proposedInBuilding Pennsylvania State House
proposedInCity Philadelphia
proposedInYear 1787
proposedOnDate May 29, 1787
relatedToConcept federalism in the United States
separation of powers in the United States
relatedToEvent Constitutional Convention
surface form: Framing of the United States Constitution
representationBasis financial contributions to the national government
state population
subjectOf Federal Convention records and notes
debates over proportional representation
upperHouseChosenBy lower house

Referenced by (6)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Great Compromise influencedBy Virginia Plan
New Jersey Plan mainOpposingProposal Virginia Plan
Edmund Randolph notableWork Virginia Plan
Luther Martin opposed Virginia Plan
James Madison workedOn Virginia Plan