In America, over 200 years ago, at the Philadelphia Convention the delegates present agreed to replace the Articles of Confederation with a new constitution.
At the time the states within the 13 Colonies were stronger than the National Government. They were about to change that.
One of the issues they would have to resolve was how many delegates/representatives each state could send to Congress.
Some states population was more than other states. Each representative in Congress would have a vote in Congress. This issue wasn’t an easy issue to resolve. However, they got it done.
A small state didn’t want a larger state to have more votes than them in Congress.
A larger state felt that they should have more votes in Congress.
Who would you agree with?
What would you propose?
Compromise is a way of dealing with a problem. Each side gives up something in order to reach a solution which is acceptable to both sides.
The Great Compromise
- The creation of two houses was established. I guess two houses was needed because it was a divide within the one house. The Senate and House of Representative was the answer.
- In the Senate every state would have two representatives. This was what the small states wanted.
- The larger states would have more votes in the House of Representatives because votes are based on the individual states population.
- A law is passed when both houses passed the law by majority votes. That is why a lot of laws get sent back to “The House” or “The Senate”.
The Great Compromise passed by only one vote.
Work Cited
Center for Civic Education
We The People
ISBN 0-89818-110-0
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