Virginia Plan or New Jersey Plan Seat Math

Do the seat math first so students feel why the plans divided the delegates. Then use the Madison sheet to follow what came after the Convention.

Find each state's seats in a 100 seat house from 1790 census counts and the three fifths clause. The directions on the page read: Read the plans. For 1 to 5, find each state's seats in a 100-seat house: divide its population by the total, then multiply by 100 and round. An answer key is included.

Yes, both. We made it for 8th grade the Constitution and Bill of Rights, and it works the same at home or at school. At home, a student can work through it alone and then go over it with you, which shows quickly what is solid and what needs another look. In class it works as independent practice, homework or a warm-up, and you can print one copy or a full set.

It gave the House seats by population and every state two senators. It joined the large state Virginia Plan and the small state New Jersey Plan.

Article I, Section 2 counted all free persons and three fifths of all other persons, meaning enslaved people, toward House seats. The seat math sheet has students apply it to Virginia's 1790 population.

Madison came to Philadelphia with the plan that became the Virginia Plan, the starting point for the debate. He also helped write The Federalist and proposed the amendments that became the Bill of Rights.