New Jersey Plan Flashcards, test questions and answers
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What is New Jersey Plan?
The New Jersey Plan was an alternative plan proposed during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. This plan was proposed by New Jersey delegates William Paterson and Jonathan Dayton. The purpose of the plan was to preserve the power of small states in Congress by providing them with equal representation, as opposed to the Virginia Plan which favored larger states with population-based representation. The New Jersey Plan also called for a single-chamber legislature with each state having one vote regardless of size or population. The most prominent feature of the New Jersey Plan was its call for a unicameral legislature, which would effectively eliminate any potential advantage held by large states in terms of congressional representation. It also proposed that all revenue bills must originate in the House and be approved by both chambers before becoming law; this is a system still used today called bicameralism. Additionally, it provided for an executive branch composed of seven members appointed by Congress; this executive branch would have certain powers such as enforcing laws but no veto power over acts passed by Congress. Finally, it granted the federal government authority to tax citizens and regulate interstate commerce. Although it ultimately did not become part of the Constitution due to disagreement among delegates on other issues such as slavery and interstate commerce, aspects of its provisions were incorporated into later amendments (such as direct taxation) and eventually became part of our nation’s governing document in some form or another. Despite its failure at convention, many historians agree that it provided a useful framework for furthering debate on how best to create a system of government that could meet all needs while still preserving individual state rights and interests.