What phrase best summarizes the New Jersey Plan?

The New Jersey Plan was proposed in response to the Virginia Plan during the Constitutional Convention of 1787. It aimed to address the concerns of smaller states that felt their interests were not adequately represented in a system that favored larger states based on population. The New Jersey Plan called for a unicameral legislature in which each state would have an equal vote, regardless of its population size. This approach was meant to ensure that smaller states retained sufficient influence in the legislative process.

The emphasis on a unicameral legislature particularly highlights the key aspect of the New Jersey Plan—equality among states in representation, which is succinctly captured in the phrase. In contrast, the Virginia Plan proposed a bicameral legislature based on population, which would not serve the interests of smaller states as effectively. The proposal for a strong central government and a system of checks and balances was more closely associated with the structure outlined in the United States Constitution, reflecting a compromise between both plans rather than the New Jersey Plan itself.