Which plan proposed a strong national government with a bicameral legislature and representation by population?

• A. New Jersey Plan
• B. Connecticut Compromise
• C. Virginia Plan
• D. Articles of Confederation

Answer: (C)

The question tests understanding of how different plans aimed to structure the national government and how states would be represented. The Virginia Plan proposed a strong national government and a two-house (bicameral) legislature with representation in both houses based on state population (or financial contribution). This setup would give larger states more influence and create a framework for a robust central authority, which is exactly what the choice describes. In contrast, the New Jersey Plan favored a single-chamber legislature with equal representation for each state, and the Articles of Confederation kept the central government weak. The Connecticut Compromise later mixed ideas by having a House of Representatives based on population and a Senate with equal representation, but the most direct match to “strong national government with a bicameral legislature and representation by population” is the Virginia Plan.