Which plan proposed three branches of government with a bicameral legislature where representation in the lower house is based on population and the upper house is elected by the lower house?

• A. New Jersey Plan
• B. The Slavery Issue
• C. Virginia Plan
• D. Paine's Common Sense

Answer: (C)

The Virginia Plan envisions a national government with three branches and a two‑chamber legislature. It would base representation in the lower chamber on population, giving larger states more seats and influence. The upper chamber would be chosen by the lower chamber, not directly by voters. This structure strengthens the national government and ties legislative power to population, while adding a level of indirect selection to help balance popular sovereignty with checks on rapid shifts in public opinion.

The other options don’t fit this setup: the New Jersey Plan favored equal representation in a unicameral legislature, not proportional, and the other two are not constitutional plans at all.