What is a key feature of the New Jersey Plan?

Prepare for the UCF AMH2010 U.S. History Exam 2. Master key historic concepts with flashcards and multiple-choice questions. Get exam-ready!

The New Jersey Plan was introduced during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 as an alternative to the Virginia Plan. A key feature of the New Jersey Plan is the proposal for a multi-person executive. This plan sought to address the concerns of smaller states that felt underrepresented in a government structure based on population size, which was characteristic of the Virginia Plan's proposals. By advocating for a multi-person executive, the New Jersey Plan aimed to prevent too much power from being concentrated in a single individual, promoting a more collective decision-making process that would be more representative of all states.

Other features of the New Jersey Plan included a unicameral legislature where each state would have one vote regardless of its size or population, which directly challenged the proportional representation proposed in the Virginia Plan. The multi-person executive was a distinct proposal that stood out as a significant point of discussion regarding how power would be distributed within the executive branch of government.

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