Alicia Chan

Fal14 POLS 001 #5123

Introduction to American Government
Summaried Plan! "rom the Con!titutional Convention
The Virginia Plan
#he $ir%inia Plan &a! &ritten '( )dmund *ennin%! +andol,h- %overnor o" $ir%inia. #hi!
,lan i! de!i%n to 'e "avor o" the lar%er ,o,ulou! !tate creatin% a central %overnment. #he
con%re!! ha! the ,o&er to ne%ate !tate la& i" it i! incom,ati'le &ith the article! o" union.
#he e/ecutive i! cho!en '( con%re!!. )/ecutive can hold ,o!ition "or man( (ear! 'ut can
!erve "or 1 term. )/ecutive ha! the ri%ht to e/ecute national la&. +andol,h !olution
e!ta'li!hed a nation 0udiciar( !(!tem con!i!t o" one or more !u,reme court! and in"erior
court!. #he in"erior court &ould hear ca!e! "ir!t and an a,,eal &ould ta1e the ca!e to a
Su,reme Court. 2oth e/ecutive and a convenient num'er o" 0udiciar( have the ri%ht to
e/amine the le%i!lative act and can re0ect the act. #hi! ,lan i! in "avor "or a !tron%er central
%overnment &ith le%i!lature advocatin% and ma1in% deci!ion "or the !tate. It !eem! to have
more colla'oration e""ort &hile !till maintainin% much o" the control over la& ma1in% in
"avor o" the lar%e !tate.
The New Jersey Plan
#he 3e& *er!e( Plan &a! ,ro,o!ed '( 4illiam Pater!on. It &a! a revi!ion to the $ir%inia
Plan. Pater!on thou%ht the $ir%inia Plan i! de!i%n to "avor the lar%er ,o,ulou! !tate and "ear
the !maller !tate- li1e 3e& *er!e(- &ould loo!e their re,re!entation. #he 3e& *er!e( ,lan
,ro,o!ed that each !tate !hould have e5ual re,re!entation %ivin% all !tate e5ual vote!.
Con%re!! &ill have a !in%le le%i!lature. #he( have the authorit( to a,,oint in"erior tri'unal!-
re%ulate commerce revenue "rom im,ort and !tam, dutie!- and have the ,o&er to demand the
e/ecutive to u!e militar( a%ain!t !tate! that challen%e! national la&! and treatie!. #he 3e&
*er!e( ,lan ,ro,o!ed to have multi,le ,eo,le in e/ecutive that are elected and im,each '(
con%re!!. 3ational la& i! the !u,reme la& o" the !tate!- adherin% to thi! la&6 the e/ecutive
can "orce non7com,liance !tate to o'e(. #he Su,reme Court to 'e a,,ointed '( the
le%i!lature. #he !tate 0udiciar( &ould 'e the central court! in the "ederal !(!tem. #he ,lan i!
de!i%n to have a unicameral le%i!lation &here the !tate receive! e5ual re,re!entation a%ain!t
lar%er !tate!. #hi! ,lan !till %ive! the central %overnment much o" the control- 'ut in the event
the( are &ron%- the !tate return to a!!ume the ,o&er them!elve!.
Connecticut/Great Compromise
#he Connecticut Com,romi!e- al!o 1no&n a! the Great Com,romi!e i! dra"ted '( +o%er
Sherman to 'e a 'icameral le%i!lature. 4e the ,eo,le o" the 8nited State! 'ene"it "rom thi!
,lan. It &a! a com,romi!e that incor,orated 'oth the $ir%inia Plan- 9ou!e o" re,re!entative!
to 'e 'a!ed on the !tate ,o,ulation- and the 3e& *er!e( Plan to have e5ual re,re!entative in
the !enate "or all !tate!. Con%re!! a! &e 1no& it toda( i! the la& ma1er. #he e/ecutive i!
!elected '( a %rou, o" le%i!lature called the )lectoral Colle%e. )/ecutive !i%n 'ill! into la&
and ha! the ri%ht to veto the 'ill. )/ecutive al!o ha! the authorit( to a,,oint Su,reme Court
Alicia Chan
Fal14 POLS 001 #5123
Introduction to American Government
0ud%e- 'ut mu!t con"irm '( the !enate. #he Su,reme Court no& hold! the ultimate hi%he!t
court &ho &ill !ettle 'et&een !tate and national la&!. :uch o" the 0udiciar( ,roce!! remain!
to !ame a! $ir%inia Plan &here the !tate court &ill hear the ca!e and a,,eal to hi%h Su,reme
Court. #hi! i! the ,lan &e ,ractice u, to date- &here central %overnment remain to 'e the
lar%e %overnin% !(!tem &hile the !tate rule over it!el" under the um'rella o" national rule.
Citation
;#he $ir%inia- or +andol,h- Plan.; West's Encyclopedia of American Law. )d. Shirelle Phel,!
and *e""re( Lehman. 2nd ed. $ol. 12. <etroit= Gale- 2005. 10>710?. U.S. History in Context.
4e'. 2 Se,t. 2014.
Encyclopedia of the Supreme Court of the United Sates- ed.- !.v. ;Con!titutional Convention-
Framin%.; <etroit= :acmillan +e"erence 8SA- 200@.
;#he 3e& *er!e(- or Pater!on- Plan.; West's Encyclopedia of American Law. )d. Shirelle Phel,!
and *e""re( Lehman. 2nd ed. $ol. 12. <etroit= Gale- 2005. 1107111. U.S. History in Context. 4e'.
2 Se,t. 2014.
L)$A- L)O3A+< 4. ;3e& *er!e( Plan.; Encyclopedia of the American Constitution. )d.
Leonard 4. Lev( and Benneth L. Bar!t. 2nd ed. $ol. 4. <etroit= :acmillan +e"erence 8SA-
2000. 1@00. U.S. History in Context. 4e'. 3 Se,t. 2014.
+OC9)- *O93 P. ;Con!titutional Convention o" 1>@>.; Encyclopedia of the American
Constitution. )d. Leonard 4. Lev( and Benneth L. Bar!t. 2nd ed. $ol. 2. <etroit= :acmillan
+e"erence 8SA- 2000. 51>7523. U.S. History in Context. 4e'. 3 Se,t. 2014.
+o'ert!on- <avid 2rian. ;Great Com,romi!e.; Encyclopedia of the Supreme Court of the United
States. )d. <avid S. #anenhau!. $ol. 2. <etroit= :acmillan +e"erence 8SA- 200@. 35?. U.S.
History in Context. 4e'. 3 Se,t. 2014.
4hit"ield- #heodore :. ;Connecticut Com,romi!e.; Dictionary of American History. )d.
Stanle( I. Butler. 3rd ed. $ol. 2. 3e& Aor1= Charle! Scri'nerC! Son!- 2003. 35?. ale !irtual
"eference Li#rary. 4e'. 3 Se,t. 2014.