The Structure and Evolution of Congress: From the Great Compromise to Modern Legislative Practice
Overview
This paper examines the founding principles of Congress and the bicameral legislative structure established by the Great Compromise of 1787. It analyzes how the compromise resolved ideological tensions between large and small states regarding representation, and traces the evolution of congressional structure from its founding design to its current form with 435 capped representatives.
What this essay covers
- Introduction to bicameral legislature and dual representation system in House and Senate
- The Great Compromise of 1787: resolution of small versus large state representation debate
- Constitutional requirements for age and term length distinctions between House and Senate members
- Modern Congress structure and evolution of representative apportionment based on population census
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CONGRESS
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The founding fathers wanted a bicameral federal legislature using a dual system of congressional representation. In the House of Representatives or the lower house, states would have seats proportional to their population. In comparison, states would have equal representation in the Senate or lower house. The Great Compromise, also known as the Connecticut Compromise, of 1787 was an agreement reached by delegates of both large and small states concerning the structure of Congress. This was particularly on the number of seats each state would have in the House of Representatives. Before the agreement, the founding fathers had already decided about the Senate’s structure. They agreed that individual state legislators should elect their senators rather than the House of Representatives. The ideological difference was between small states and large states: the delegates from small states and those from larger states differed about the sharing out of representation in the federal government.
Delegates from larger states wanted more say in the central government since they contributed more towards the country’s financial and defensive powers. However, the delegates from small states differed with this ideological perspective by arguing that each state had to have an equal voice. They sought to preserve the equal vote granted to all states under the Articles of Confederation. The issue that came from the Connecticut Compromise was the bicameral legislature.