What was the 1787 Connecticut Compromise commonly called during the Constitutional Convention?

The 1787 Connecticut Compromise was commonly called the Great Compromise during the Constitutional Convention.

The agreement resolved a major dispute over representation in the proposed national legislature. Large states generally supported representation based on population, while smaller states wanted equal voting power for each state. The compromise created a bicameral Congress with proportional representation in the House of Representatives and equal representation for each state in the Senate.

Roger Sherman and Oliver Ellsworth of Connecticut were important advocates, which explains the agreement’s geographic name. The arrangement allowed the convention to continue after delegates had reached a serious deadlock over whether population or state equality should control congressional representation.

The Connecticut Compromise should not be confused with the Three-Fifths Compromise, which addressed how enslaved people would be counted for representation and taxation. It also differs from the New Jersey Plan, an alternative proposal favoring a single legislative chamber with equal state votes. The Great Compromise became a foundational feature of the Constitution.