Which statement best describes the Great Compromise?

• A. It created equal representation in both houses.
• B. It combined equal representation in one house with proportional representation in the other.
• C. It established a unicameral legislature elected by states.
• D. It maintained the Virginia Plan's entirely proportionate approach for both houses.

Answer: (B)

The main idea being tested is how representation in Congress would be arranged so both large and small states feel their interests are heard. The Great Compromise created a two-chamber legislature: in the Senate, each state gets equal representation (two senators per state), while in the House of Representatives, representation is based on population (proportional). This means one chamber has equal representation and the other has proportional representation, which is the best description of the compromise. It blends the plans that favored proportional representation with those that favored equal representation, showing how both ideas were incorporated in different parts of the legislative branch. The other possibilities would either give equal representation to both chambers, create a single-chamber legislature, or keep a fully proportional approach for both chambers, none of which match what actually happened.