Primary sourceDocument29 May 1787 (this copy 13 June 1787)

Virginia Plan

James Madison · 29 May 1787 (this copy 13 June 1787)

Madison's blueprint for a strong national government with three branches, presented at the 1787 Constitutional Convention.

Madison wrote this plan, which became the framework around which the Constitutional Convention's debates were organized.

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Handwritten manuscript page in brown ink on aged paper, headed 'State of the Resolutions submitted to the consideration of the House by the honorable Mr. Randolph, as altered, amended, and agreed to in a committee of the whole House.' Numbered resolutions follow, including provisions for a national government, a two-branch national legislature, and qualifications for members of the first and second branches. — Virginia Plan, as amended 13 June 1787. U.S. National Archives.

About this source

What it is

The Virginia Plan was drafted primarily by James Madison and presented by fellow Virginian Edmund Randolph to the Constitutional Convention on May 29, 1787. The surviving version shown here, from June 13, 1787, records the plan as altered and agreed to by a Committee of the Whole House. It is held by the U.S. National Archives.

Why it matters

The plan proposed a strong national government made up of legislative, executive, and judicial branches, with checks and balances to prevent abuse of power. It framed the debates of the entire Convention and became the starting point for much of what became the Constitution. This document shows Madison's early thinking on a two-house legislature based on population.

Look closer

Why might Madison have had Randolph present the plan instead of presenting it himself?
What changed between the original proposal and this amended version?
How does the plan's idea of representation compare to the final Constitution?

This document is part of the curated material that grounds the AI version of James Madison on Humy.ai — when students ask about related events, the AI can quote it and cite it.