Connecticut Compromise facts for kids

The Connecticut Compromise (also known as the Great Compromise of 1787) was an important agreement made during the Constitutional Convention in 1787. This meeting was where the United States Constitution was created. The compromise helped solve a big argument between large states and small states.

It set up a special kind of government with two parts, called a bicameral legislature. One part, the House of Representatives, would have members based on a state's population. The other part, the United States Senate, would have the same number of members for every state, no matter its size. This idea came from Roger Sherman.

What Was the Compromise?

On July 16, 1787, two men from Connecticut, Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth, came up with this important compromise. They suggested a government with two separate parts, or "houses."

The House of Representatives

For the larger states, the number of members in the lower house, called the House of Representatives, would depend on how many people lived in each state. This idea was similar to the Virginia Plan. People in each state would vote for their representatives.

To make sure this was fair, a count of all people in the United States, called a census, would happen every 10 years. Also, any laws about raising taxes or spending money had to start in this lower house.

The Senate

For the smaller states, the upper house, called the Senate, would be different. Each state would get two members, no matter how big or small the state was. This idea was more like the New Jersey Plan. These members would be chosen by the state governments, not directly by the people.

After 11 days of discussion, the compromise was approved by just one vote.

Why Was This Agreement Important?

This agreement was very important because it allowed the leaders to keep working on the Constitution. It helped bring together the different ideas of the large and small states.

The Three-Fifths Compromise

The Connecticut Compromise also led to another agreement called the Three-Fifths Compromise. This agreement dealt with how to count people for representation in the House of Representatives. In some states, many people were enslaved. The Three-Fifths Compromise decided that three-fifths of these enslaved people would be counted towards a state's total population. This affected how many representatives a state would get in the House.

See also

In Spanish: Compromiso de Connecticut para niños