Differences
As mentioned before, the reunion in Philadelphia was supposed to be to revise the Articles of Confederation but as most states were against it, they decided that they would take a look at James Madison's plan and after revising it, they decided to implement it.
There are some reasons on why most of the delegates preferred to have the Virginia Plan instead of the Articles of Confederation, the main differences between them were that the Virginia Plan rejected state sovereignty in favor of what they call "supremacy of national authority" including power to overturn the state's laws. Madison's plan also promoted that the government such be established by the people and not the state, and that national laws will affect directly on citizens from all the different states. Finally, the Virginia Plan proposed a three-tier election system, this way the people would elect the lower house of national legislature, which after would elect the upper house and both houses would appoint the judiciary and executive.
There are some reasons on why most of the delegates preferred to have the Virginia Plan instead of the Articles of Confederation, the main differences between them were that the Virginia Plan rejected state sovereignty in favor of what they call "supremacy of national authority" including power to overturn the state's laws. Madison's plan also promoted that the government such be established by the people and not the state, and that national laws will affect directly on citizens from all the different states. Finally, the Virginia Plan proposed a three-tier election system, this way the people would elect the lower house of national legislature, which after would elect the upper house and both houses would appoint the judiciary and executive.
Picture of the Continental Congress.
Taken from (http://declaringamerica.com/01/media/Continental_Congress_900x600.jpg)
Taken from (http://declaringamerica.com/01/media/Continental_Congress_900x600.jpg)
James Madison
This is a picture of James Madison, writer of the Virginia Plan.
Taken from (http://www.biography.com/imported/images/Biography/Images/Profiles/M/James-Madsion-9394965-1-402.jpg)
Taken from (http://www.biography.com/imported/images/Biography/Images/Profiles/M/James-Madsion-9394965-1-402.jpg)
The Virginia Plan
This image represents how the Virginia Plan was designed and how the power would be distributed.
Taken from (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/New_Jersey_Plan.png)
Taken from (http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/0c/New_Jersey_Plan.png)
Branches of Government
These are the three branches of government used now, based on the main idea of the U.S. Constitution.