Connecticut Compromise

Definition

The Connecticut Compromise was a crucial agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 that resolved the long-standing dispute between large and small states over representation in the new federal government. It established a bicameral legislature, with a Senate where each state had equal representation and a House of Representatives where representation was based on population.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Connecticut Compromise was a critical step in the drafting of the U.S. Constitution, as it helped resolve the long-standing dispute between large and small states over representation in the new federal government.
2. The compromise established a bicameral legislature, with a Senate where each state had equal representation and a House of Representatives where representation was based on population.
3. This balance between the interests of large and small states was a key component of the system of federalism that was adopted in the Constitution.
4. The Connecticut Compromise was a significant concession made by the large states, who agreed to give up their numerical advantage in the legislature in exchange for a stronger federal government.
5. The successful negotiation of the Connecticut Compromise paved the way for the ratification of the Constitution and the establishment of the United States as a nation.

Review Questions

• Explain the key features of the Connecticut Compromise and how it addressed the concerns of both large and small states.
  • The Connecticut Compromise established a bicameral legislature, with a Senate where each state had equal representation and a House of Representatives where representation was based on population. This addressed the concerns of large states, which wanted representation to be based on population, and small states, which wanted equal representation. By balancing these competing interests, the compromise helped resolve the long-standing dispute between large and small states over representation in the new federal government and paved the way for the ratification of the Constitution.
• Analyze the role of the Connecticut Compromise in the development of the system of federalism in the United States.
  • The Connecticut Compromise was a crucial step in the drafting of the U.S. Constitution and the establishment of the system of federalism. By dividing power between the federal government and the states, with each level having its own spheres of authority, the compromise helped create a balanced system of government that addressed the concerns of both large and small states. The compromise's establishment of a bicameral legislature, with a Senate representing the states equally and a House of Representatives representing the population, was a key component of this federalist system and has had lasting implications for the distribution of power in the United States.
• Evaluate the significance of the Connecticut Compromise in the overall process of drafting and ratifying the U.S. Constitution.
  • The Connecticut Compromise was a pivotal moment in the Constitutional Convention, as it helped resolve a critical impasse that threatened the entire process of drafting a new system of government. By finding a way to balance the interests of large and small states, the compromise paved the way for the ratification of the Constitution and the establishment of the United States as a nation. Without the successful negotiation of the Connecticut Compromise, it is unlikely that the Constitution would have been adopted, and the United States may have taken a very different path in its development. The compromise's lasting impact on the structure of the federal government and the system of federalism underscores its significance in the overall process of creating the U.S. Constitution.

Related terms

Bicameral Legislature: A legislative body composed of two chambers or houses, such as the Senate and House of Representatives in the United States Congress.

Great Compromise: An earlier compromise reached during the Constitutional Convention that combined the Virginia Plan, which called for representation based on population, and the New Jersey Plan, which proposed equal representation for all states.

Federalism:

The division of power between the federal government and state governments, with each level having its own spheres of authority.