Which plan resolved the issue between large and small states by proposing a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in one house and equal representation in the other?

• A. The Three-Fifths Compromise
• B. The Great Compromise
• C. The Commerce Compromise
• D. The Electoral College

Answer: (B)

Balancing representation between large and small states was achieved by combining two ideas into a single legislative framework. The plan created a two-chamber Congress: the lower house would allocate seats proportional to each state's population, giving larger states more influence, while the upper house would grant each state equal representation with two senators, protecting smaller states from being outvoted. This arrangement, known as the Great Compromise (Connecticut Compromise), was proposed at the 1787 Constitutional Convention to bridge competing interests and move toward a new framework for governing. It differs from other proposals in that those other items either dealt with how to count enslaved people for representation (Three-Fifths Compromise), addressed trade and slave trade concerns (Commerce Compromise), or established how presidents are elected (Electoral College).