New Jersey Plan

(noun)

A proposal for a unicameral legislature in which each state, regardless of size, would have one vote. 

Related Terms

Examples of New Jersey Plan in the following topics:

  • The Virginia and New Jersey Plans

    • The New Jersey Plan was a counter-proposal for the structure of the federal government presented by William Paterson.
    • The New Jersey plan was created in response to the Virginia Plan, which called for two houses of Congress both elected with apportionment according to population.
    • The New Jersey Plan, on the other hand, proposed a unicameral legislature in which each state, regardless of size, would have one vote, as under the Articles of Confederation.
    • Ultimately, the Virginia Plan was used, but some ideas from the New Jersey Plan were added.
    • House of Representatives, apportioned by population as desired by the Virginia Plan, and the Senate, granted equal votes per state as desired by the New Jersey Plan.

  • A New Constitution

    • This plan also proposed a bicameral legislature.
    • This system of equal representation was detailed in William Paterson's New Jersey Plan.
    • New Jersey Plans was contentious and almost threatened to shut the convention down.
    • The Compromise indicated that each state would be given equal representation (as per the New Jersey Plan) in one house of Congress and proportional representation (as per the Virginia Plan) in the other.
    • The free states found the compromise negligible when compared with the ultimate goal of writing a new governing document, and slave states were satisfied by this provision and agreed to support the plan.

  • Conclusion: The Development of the Constitution

    • In contrast, the New Jersey Plan proposed a unicameral legislature in which each state, regardless of size, would have one vote.
    • The Connecticut Compromise established a bicameral legislature, with the House of Representatives apportioned by population as desired by the Virginia Plan and the Senate granted equal votes per state as desired by the New Jersey Plan—combining the two plans in a workable whole.
    • For women, the right to vote remained out of reach except in New Jersey.
    • Federalists and Democratic-Republicans competed for the votes of New Jersey women who met the requirements to cast ballots.
    • This radical innovation continued until 1807, when New Jersey restricted voting to free white men.

  • Washington's Escape from New York

    • Although Howe was successful in driving Washington out of New York City, he was unsuccessful in taking New Jersey.
    • The defeats convinced General Howe to withdraw most of his army from New Jersey, only leaving outposts at New Brunswick and Perth Amboy.
    • The areas around New York City in New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut were an ongoing battleground for the rest of the war.
    • Map of the New York-New Jersey Campaign during the American Revolution.
    • Map of the New York-New Jersey Campaign during the American Revolution.

  • Quebec, New York, and New Jersey

    • In the early stages of the American Revolution, battles over Quebec, New York, and New Jersey played an important role in the war.
    • In mid-December, Washington planned a two-pronged attack on an outpost in Trenton, including a third diversionary attack in Bordentown.
    • After both British and Continental Army troops entered their winter quarters in early January, Continental Army forces from New Jersey and Pennsylvania engaged in numerous scouting and harassing operations against British and German troops quartered in New Jersey.
    • The Continental Army was bolstered during these skirmishes by a large number of militia from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania.
    • Northern and coastal New Jersey continued to be the site of skirmishing and raiding by the British forces that occupied New York City for the duration of the war.

  • New Jersey

    • King James II granted the land between the Hudson and Delaware Rivers to two friends and named it New Jersey after the island of Jersey.
    • The Dutch claimed New Jersey first.
    • The governors of New York then ruled New Jersey, which infuriated the settlers of New Jersey.
    • In 1738, King George II appointed a separate governor for New Jersey.
    • Bowen Map of New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and New England; ca. 1747

  • State Constitutions

    • Virginia, South Carolina, and New Jersey created their constitutions before July 4.
    • In states where the less-affluent had organized sufficiently to acquire significant power—especially Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New Hampshire—the resulting constitutions often contained:
    • Universal white male suffrage, or minimal property requirements for voting or holding office (New Jersey enfranchised some property-owning widows, a step it retracted 25 years later)
    • The Declaration of Rights and Plan of Government for the State of New Hampshire.
    • New Hampshire was the first state to create a new constitution, in 1776, at the urging of the Continental Congress.

  • Settling the Middle Colonies

    • The Middle Colonies later became the states of New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware.
    • This land grant became the Province of New Jersey.
    • From 1701 to 1765, colonists skirmished in the New York-New Jersey Line War over disputed colonial boundaries.
    • In 1702, Queen Anne united West and East Jersey into one Royal Colony—the Province of New Jersey.
    • The Middle Colonies was comprised of Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania.

  • The Forage War

    • The Forage War consisted of numerous small skirmishes between British and Continental forces that took place in New Jersey in early 1777.
    • The Forage War was a partisan campaign consisting of numerous small skirmishes that took place in New Jersey in early 1777, following the battles of Trenton and Princeton.
    • A large number of militia from New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania bolstered these forces.
    • Northern and coastal New Jersey continued to be the site of skirmishing and raiding by the British forces that occupied New York City for the rest of the war.

  • From New Netherland to New York

    • The Dutch colony of New Netherland was taken by the British in the 17th century and later became the colonies of New York and New Jersey.
    • The two proprietors of New Jersey attempted to augment their colony's population by granting sections of lands to settlers and by passing a document granting religious freedom to all inhabitants of New Jersey.
    • After one of the proprietors sold part of the area to the Quakers, New Jersey was divided into East Jersey and West Jersey—two distinct provinces of the proprietary colony.
    • The governors of New York then ruled New Jersey, which infuriated the settlers of New Jersey, who accused the governor of showing favoritism to New York.
    • In 1738, King George II appointed a separate governor for New Jersey.