The Constitution Virginia and New Jerseys Plans

In the late 1780s, prominent political leaders in the United States came to realize that the government created under the Articles of Confederation was ineffective and impractical and could not serve a nation in managing relationships among states nor handle foreign nations. The fear of creating a government that was too powerful was the basis for foundation of the Articles of Confederation. It created a weak national government that allowed for most of the power …

…not assure the people that government was in good hands. Alexander Hamilton asked, “And what even is the Virginia Plan but democracy checked by democracy...?” The parts of the VA plan that are “democracy checked by democracy” are the provisions that provide for three separate branches that can veto the other and override decisions. This complicated system of checks and balances is the basis of the government that the Constitution of the United States created.