Which statement best describes the Virginia Plan?

Which statement best describes the Virginia Plan?

• A. Proportional representation in both houses and a strong national government.
• B. Unicameral legislature with equal representation.
• C. A loose confederation with strong states' rights.
• D. An immediate prohibition on slavery in new states.

Answer: (A)

This question tests understanding of how representation and power were planned to be organized under the Virginia Plan. It proposed a strong national government with a bicameral legislature in which representation would be based on population, giving larger states more influence. This setup aimed to create a central authority with substantial powers, over and above the states’ own governments. The best description is that it called for proportional representation in both houses and a strong national government. That combination distinguishes the Virginia Plan from other proposals. A unicameral legislature with equal representation fits the New Jersey Plan, not the Virginia Plan. A loose confederation with strong states’ rights describes the Articles of Confederation, which kept the central government weak. An immediate prohibition on slavery in new states was not part of the Virginia Plan, which focused on representation and central authority rather than abolition policies.

This question tests understanding of how representation and power were planned to be organized under the Virginia Plan. It proposed a strong national government with a bicameral legislature in which representation would be based on population, giving larger states more influence. This setup aimed to create a central authority with substantial powers, over and above the states’ own governments.

The best description is that it called for proportional representation in both houses and a strong national government. That combination distinguishes the Virginia Plan from other proposals. A unicameral legislature with equal representation fits the New Jersey Plan, not the Virginia Plan. A loose confederation with strong states’ rights describes the Articles of Confederation, which kept the central government weak. An immediate prohibition on slavery in new states was not part of the Virginia Plan, which focused on representation and central authority rather than abolition policies.