Question

What was the Great Compromise and how did it address the concerns of states with varying populations?

Answer 1

[AI-generated answer — Bot GPT 3.5]

The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, was a pivotal agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. It addressed the concerns of states with varying populations by creating a bicameral legislature with different methods of representation in each house.

The compromise established that the lower house, the House of Representatives, would be based on proportional representation, with each state's representation determined by its population. This addressed the concerns of larger states that wanted a system where population size would determine representation in government.

On the other hand, the compromise also created the upper house, the Senate, where each state would have an equal number of representatives regardless of population size. This addressed the concerns of smaller states that feared they would be overshadowed by larger states in a purely proportional system.

By incorporating both proportional representation in the House of Representatives and equal representation in the Senate, the Great Compromise struck a balance between the interests of states with varying populations, ultimately leading to the creation of a successful framework for the federal government in the United States.