Which of the following best describes the Great Compromise?

• A. A solution to the debate over slavery
• B. A method to elect the President
• C. A plan to create a two-house legislature
• D. A way to allocate federal tax revenues

Answer: (C)

The Great Compromise established a plan to create a two-house legislature that balanced the interests of both large and small states. At the Constitutional Convention, delegates argued over how states should be represented in Congress: big states wanted representation based on population, while small states wanted equal representation for every state. The compromise merged these ideas—creating a Senate with equal representation (two senators per state) and a House of Representatives with representation based on population. This structure helped move the new government forward by giving both types of states a fair voice in making laws. It’s not about electing the President, slavery issues, or how tax revenues are allocated.