Which American statesman helped draft the Great Compromise between large and small states?

Which American statesman helped draft the Great Compromise between large and small states?

• A. Alexander Hamilton
• B. Roger Sherman
• C. James Madison
• D. Benjamin Franklin

Answer: (B)

Balancing representation between large and small states was the crucial issue. The Great Compromise created a bicameral Congress: proportional representation in the House of Representatives based on population, and equal representation in the Senate for each state. Roger Sherman of Connecticut drafted this plan and guided it through the Convention, earning credit for shaping the arrangement that made the Constitution workable for both sides. Others at the convention—Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and Benjamin Franklin—contributed in important ways, but Sherman is the one credited with drafting the compromise itself.

Balancing representation between large and small states was the crucial issue. The Great Compromise created a bicameral Congress: proportional representation in the House of Representatives based on population, and equal representation in the Senate for each state. Roger Sherman of Connecticut drafted this plan and guided it through the Convention, earning credit for shaping the arrangement that made the Constitution workable for both sides. Others at the convention—Alexander Hamilton, James Madison, and Benjamin Franklin—contributed in important ways, but Sherman is the one credited with drafting the compromise itself.