One significant feature of the New Jersey Plan was that
a. it worked to the advantage of the large states
b. it called for a bicameral legislature, with equal representation in the Senate
c. it called for a single chief executive elected directly by the people
d. it included provisions for a strong judiciary appointed by the Senate
e. it stated that Congressional acts would be the Supreme Law of the land
The correct answer and explanation is:
The correct answer is e. it stated that Congressional acts would be the Supreme Law of the land.
The New Jersey Plan, proposed by William Paterson in 1787 during the Constitutional Convention, was a response to the Virginia Plan, which favored larger states with proportional representation. The New Jersey Plan, in contrast, advocated for equal representation for each state, regardless of its size or population.
A significant feature of the New Jersey Plan was its provision for a stronger central government than that created by the Articles of Confederation, but it retained the basic structure of a unicameral legislature, where each state had one vote, rather than a bicameral legislature with representation based on population.
One of the critical provisions of the New Jersey Plan was that Congressional acts would be the supreme law of the land. This meant that any laws passed by the national legislature would take precedence over state laws, ensuring that the federal government could enforce its authority across the entire country. This aspect was meant to strengthen the central government and give it the power to regulate interstate commerce, tax, and handle foreign relations more effectively, which had been lacking under the Articles of Confederation.
The New Jersey Plan was ultimately not adopted in its entirety. However, it influenced the Great Compromise (also known as the Connecticut Compromise), which combined elements of both the Virginia Plan and the New Jersey Plan, establishing a bicameral legislature with proportional representation in the House of Representatives and equal representation in the Senate. This compromise helped resolve the debate between large and small states and was key to the formation of the U.S. Constitution.