How did the Virginia or Large State Plan differ from the New Jersey or Small State Plan?

The Virginia Plan, proposed by James Madison, favored larger states by advocating for a bicameral legislature with representation based on population, which would give more populous states greater influence. In contrast, the New Jersey Plan, presented by William Paterson, supported equal representation for each state in a unicameral legislature, thus favoring smaller states. This fundamental difference in representation based on population versus equality was a key point of contention during the Constitutional Convention, ultimately leading to the Great Compromise. The compromise established a bicameral legislature with the House of Representatives based on population and the Senate providing equal representation for each state.