Which plan called for a bicameral legislature with representation by population in both houses?

• A. Connecticut Plan
• B. Maryland Plan
• C. Virginia Plan
• D. New Jersey Plan

Answer: (C)

The key idea is proportional representation in both chambers. The Virginia Plan proposed a bicameral legislature where each state’s number of representatives in each house would be based on its population, so larger states would have more influence. This mechanism ties political power directly to the size of the state's population, which is why it favors bigger states. It contrasted with plans that pushed for equal representation or a mix of proportional and equal features, and it played a central role in the debates at the Constitutional Convention about how to structure Congress.