What was the proposal at the Constitutional Convention that ensured equal representation regardless of state population?

The New Jersey Plan was aimed at ensuring equal representation for all states regardless of their population size. Proposed by delegates from smaller states during the Constitutional Convention in 1787, it suggested that each state should have one vote in Congress, thereby maintaining parity amongst states with larger and smaller populations. This plan was a direct response to the Virginia Plan, which advocated for representation based on population, favoring larger states.

The New Jersey Plan highlighted the concerns of smaller states that feared losing influence and power in a system where larger states would dominate legislative decision-making based on their greater populations. Ultimately, while the New Jersey Plan itself did not become the final framework, its principles influenced discussions, leading to the Connecticut Compromise, which established a bicameral legislature with both equal representation in the Senate and proportional representation in the House of Representatives.