Which plan proposed representation in both houses based on population, creating a two-house legislature?

• A. New Jersey Plan
• B. Connecticut Compromise
• C. The Virginia Plan
• D. Articles of Confederation

Answer: (C)

When a constitution uses representation in both chambers based on population, it means seats are allocated to states according to how many people live there, giving larger states more influence. The Virginia Plan argued for exactly that: a strong national government with a bicameral Congress in which each state’s number of representatives would be proportional to its population in both houses. This setup would naturally favor bigger states and shape how power flowed in the new government. The idea contrasts with plans that sought equal representation for each state or kept representation in a single chamber, and with the Articles of Confederation’s looser, unicameral structure. The debate over these approaches is why proportional, two-house representation is associated with the Virginia Plan and why it stands out as the best answer here.