In the Great Compromise, I believe true compromise was reached. The Great Compromise happened during the Constitutional Convention. A new plan of government was being formed, because the Articles of Confederations failed. Delegates from each state, except for Rhode Island who boycotted, were present. The two sides of this conflict were the large states and the small states. The large states supported the Virginia Plan, a bicameral Congress with both houses based on proportional representation. This plan, written by James Madison and presented by Edmund J. Randolph, gave large states more power than smaller states. The small states supported the New Jersey Plan, a unicameral Congress with equal representation. This plan, written by the small states and presented by William Paterson, gave a citizen of the small states a more influential vote than a citizen of a large state. The Constitutional Convention was at a standstill over representation. Connecticut delegates Oliver Ellsworth and Roger Sherman came up with the Connecticut Compromise, a bicameral Congress with one house based on proportional representation and the other with equal representation. This became known as the Great Compromise and was adopted on July 16, 1787, passed by the gap of one vote. Both the large states and the small states had to give up something to earn something. For the large states, they had to have a house based on equal representation, which gave them less power than their original plan. In doing this, they earned a house based on proportional representation, where they would have more power. The smaller states got a house based on equal representation, ensuring they would have a say in the government, but they also had a house based on proportional representation, where they wouldn't get as much power. Both sides benefited by the fact that now that this debate was settled, the a Constitutional Convention could continue. I believe true compromise was reached, because both sides gave up and received about equal amounts. (Information from government-and-constitution.org, constitutioncenter.org, and senate.gov, as well as the in class notes.)