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Great Compromise Timeline

(June 19–July 16, 1787)

The Great Compromise of 1787 created a bicameral Congress with representation based on population in the House and equal state representation in the Senate. Less

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Compromise formation

Connecticut Compromise defined

1787

The Connecticut Compromise, also called the Great Compromise or Sherman Compromise, was an agreement reached during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. It helped define the structure of Congress and established different systems of representation in the House of Representatives and Senate.

Image source: Connecticut Compromise

Connecticut Compromise defined

Committee submits the compromise report

Jul 5, 1787

A committee submitted its report on representation. The report became the basis for the Great Compromise by combining proportional representation in one chamber with equal state representation in the other.

Great Compromise reaches a five-to-four vote

Jul 16, 1787

After six weeks of turmoil, North Carolina switched its vote to equal representation per state, while Massachusetts's delegation was divided. The Convention then reached a compromise on a five-to-four vote of the states.

Convention debates

Randolph proposes a bicameral legislature

May 29, 1787

Edmund Randolph of Virginia proposed creating a bicameral legislature. His proposal formed part of the Virginia Plan and introduced a two-house Congress as a central element of the emerging constitutional framework.

Image source: Virginia Plan

Randolph proposes a bicameral legislature

Paterson proposes the New Jersey Plan

Jun 15, 1787

William Paterson of New Jersey responded to the Virginia Plan by proposing a legislature consisting of a single house. The New Jersey Plan sought to preserve equal state representation and revise, rather than replace, the existing confederation structure.

Image source: New Jersey Plan

Paterson proposes the New Jersey Plan

Delegates reject the New Jersey Plan

Jun 19, 1787

The delegates rejected the New Jersey Plan and voted to continue discussing the Virginia Plan. This decision kept the Convention focused on a stronger federal government with a bicameral legislature.

Convention deadlocks over equal state votes

Jul 2, 1787

The Convention reached a deadlock over whether each state should receive an equal vote in the upper house. Five states supported equal representation, five opposed it, and one delegation was divided, demonstrating the depth of the dispute between large and small states.

Historical scholarship

Farrand publishes a study of the Convention

Apr 1904

Max Farrand published an early scholarly article concerning the Constitutional Convention and its records. His work formed part of the foundational historical literature used to study the Convention's debates.

Lynd publishes a study of abolitionist criticism

1965

Staughton Lynd published “The Abolitionist Critique of the United States Constitution” in a collection edited by Martin B. Duberman. The work addressed later criticism of constitutional compromises, including compromises connected to slavery.

Lynd publishes “The Compromise of 1787”

Jun 1966

Staughton Lynd published “The Compromise of 1787,” a major historical analysis examining the political conflict and agreements that shaped the constitutional settlement.

Ohline examines constitutional compromise

Oct 1971

Howard A. Ohline published a scholarly article addressing the Constitution and the compromises involved in its creation, contributing to the historical debate over the Convention's decisions.

Rakove publishes a study of the Convention

Jul 1987

Jack N. Rakove published a scholarly study of the Federal Convention and its constitutional compromises. The work contributed to late twentieth-century reassessments of how delegates negotiated the structure of the federal government.

Nelson studies reason and compromise

Jul 1987

William E. Nelson published “Reason and Compromise in the Establishment of the Federal Constitution, 1787–1801.” The study placed the Great Compromise within a broader account of constitutional negotiation and early federal development.

Finkelman publishes constitutional scholarship

1996

Paul Finkelman published a 1996 work included among the scholarship associated with interpretation of the Constitution, compromise, and the Convention's unresolved political issues.

Wills publishes a modern interpretation

2003

Garry Wills published a 2003 work included in the scholarship surrounding the Constitution and its compromises. It represents a modern interpretation of the political choices made during the founding era.

Estes examines the Connecticut effect

2011

Todd Estes published “The Connecticut Effect: The Great Compromise of 1787 and the History of Small State Impact on Electoral College Outcomes.” The article connected the Convention's settlement to the later political influence of small states.

Earle publishes a study of the Great Compromise

Apr 2011

Jonathan Earle published a study of the Great Compromise in OAH Magazine of History, examining the episode for readers of a history-focused scholarly publication.

Pope and Treier reconsider the Great Compromise

Apr 2011

Jeremy C. Pope and Shawn Treier published “Reconsidering the Great Compromise at the Federal Convention of 1787: Deliberation and Agenda Effects on the Senate and Slavery.” Their study revisited how deliberation and agenda setting affected the Senate settlement.

Ballingrud and Dougherty publish their study

Oct 2018

Gordon Ballingrud and Keith L. Dougherty published a scholarly study related to the constitutional compromise and its political implications in the American Journal of Political Science.

Claus publishes an analysis of the compromise

2019

Laurence Claus published a scholarly analysis concerning constitutional compromise in the American Journal of Comparative Law, contributing a later legal perspective to interpretation of the Convention's settlement.

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Key Facts

  1. The compromise was reached during the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in 1787.
  2. The Virginia Plan favored representation based on each state's population, while the New Jersey Plan proposed equal representation for every state.
  3. Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticut helped develop the compromise.
  4. The agreement established a two-chamber Congress: the House of Representatives and the Senate.
  5. The House would reflect population, while each state would have two senators, balancing large- and small-state interests.

Source

This Great Compromise timeline was generated with the help of AI, using information found on the internet.

We work hard to keep these timelines accurate, but mistakes do get through. If you spot one, email us at [email protected] and we'll fix it for future visitors.

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