The Virginia Plan also proposed that population be used to determine the number of state

representatives. This alarmed delegates from smaller states like Connecticut, Delaware,
Maryland, and New Jersey. They argued that states with larger populations would become
dominant.

Focus Question - Did the Virginia Plan give too much power to the national government?

It did

Document: The Virginia Plan (May 29, 1787)

Selected Passage:
6. Resolved that each branch ought to possess the right of originating
Acts; that the National Legislature ought to be impowered to ... legislate in all cases to which
the separate States are incompetent, or in which the harmony of the United States may be
interrupted by the exercise of individual Legislation; to negative all laws passed by the
several States, ... and to call forth the force of the Union [against] any member of the Union
failing to fulfill its duty under the articles thereof.

Analysis:
Power over states. Said whether the states were being bad or not.
Document: Mr. Patterson of New Jersey (June 16, 1787)

Selected Passage:
Virginia, legislature to negative all State laws

Analysis:
Ruled over States

It did not

Document: Mr. Madison of Virginia (June 8, 1787)

Selected Passage:
Experience [has] evinced a constant tendency in the States to encroach on the federal
authority; to violate national Treaties, to infringe the rights & interests of each other ...

Analysis:
There was total disorder. States were taking revenge on other states and were infringing the
right and interests of each other
Document: Mr. Madison of Virginia (June 8, 1787)
 Selected Passage:
This prerogative of the General Government is the great pervading principle that must
controul the centrifugal tendency of the States; which, without it, will continually fly out of
their proper orbits and destroy the order & harmony of the political system.

Analysis:
Without the creation of a srtong central gov't, states would continually do what they were
previosly doing; causing havoc and destroying the order and harmony.
Document: The New Jersey Plan (June 15, 1787)

Selected Passage:
[Resolved] that the articles of Confederation ought to be so revised, corrected & enlarged, as
to render the federal Constitution adequate to the exigences of Government, & the
preservation of the Union.

Analysis:
Admitted that the Art of Confed needed to be revised and that a central gov't was needed
Document: The Virginia Plan (May 29, 1787)

Selected Passage:
3. [Resolved] that the National Legislature ought to consist of two branches.

4. [Resolved] that the members of the first branch of the National Legislature ought to be
elected by the people of the several States ...

5. [Resolved] that the members of the second branch of the National Legislature ought to be
elected by those of the first ...

Analysis:
3-5 show how the people could choose who they wanted in the government. They wold
choose who they wanted to represent their voices and opinions in the first branch and those
of the first branch would choose the members of second branch
Document: The Virginia Plan (May 29, 1787)

Selected Passage:
7. [Resolved] that a National Executive be instituted; to be chosen by the National
Legislature ...

Analysis:
Congress was to choose President