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The New Jersey Plan supported the idea of A. bicameral legislation. B. equal representation. C. multi-cameral legislation. D. parliamentary government.
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Answer

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Step 1:
I'll solve this problem step by step, focusing on the historical context of the New Jersey Plan during the Constitutional Convention.

Step 2:
: Understand the Context

The New Jersey Plan was proposed during the Constitutional Convention of 1787 as an alternative to the Virginia Plan. It was developed by William Paterson to address the concerns of smaller states about representation in the national government.

Step 3:
: Analyze the Key Characteristic

The primary distinctive feature of the New Jersey Plan was its proposal for equal representation in the national legislature, regardless of the state's population.

Step 4:
: Evaluate the Options

A. Bicameral legislation - This refers to a legislature with two chambers B. Equal representation - This directly matches the core principle of the New Jersey Plan C. Multi-cameral legislation - This suggests more than two legislative chambers D. Parliamentary government - This is a system where the executive is chosen from the legislature, which was not the New Jersey Plan's focus

Step 5:
: Reasoning

The New Jersey Plan specifically advocated for equal representation, where each state would have the same number of representatives in the national legislature, regardless of its size or population. This was in direct contrast to the Virginia Plan, which proposed representation based on population.

Final Answer

Equal representation The New Jersey Plan's core principle was to ensure that smaller states would have an equal voice in the national government, protecting their interests against potential domination by larger, more populous states.