The Virginia Plan proposed a bicameral legislative branch with proportional representation in
both Houses of Congress, which would have given states with larger populations have more
representatives than states with smaller populations, enabling the larger states to dominate the
national political agenda. The fact that the populations of the largest southern states included
hundreds of thousands of slaves only added to the concerns of the small, and northern states. A
debate ensued over how slaves were to be counted.
Take a stance (either 1 or 2 below) and defend it, based upon your interpretation of Collier and
Collier. Which option would have likely strengthened the position of the southern states in
making policy? How would your selected option have impacted the future prospects the African
population going forward?
Sample Solution