b) William Paterson

William Paterson, a New Jersey delegate, was the key architect behind the New Jersey Plan, which proposed an alternative framework for the federal government. His plan advocated for a unicameral legislature with equal representation for each state, countering the Virginia Plan’s call for proportional representation. Although the New Jersey Plan was not adopted, it influenced the eventual Connecticut Compromise, which balanced the two approaches. Paterson’s contribution was significant in representing the interests of smaller states and shaping the debate over representation at the Constitutional Convention.