Great Compromise

The Great Compromise was an agreement made during the drafting of the U.S. Constitution in 1787 to resolve disagreements between large and small states about how to structure Congress. Large states wanted representation based on population, while small states wanted equal representation. The compromise created a two-part Congress: the House of Representatives, where representation is based on population, and the Senate, where each state has two senators regardless of size. This balanced the interests of both large and small states, helping ensure the Constitution could be adopted and function effectively.