homas Jefferson at the new Virginia House of Delegates" (Blanco 1). "After running in the election session of 1777, Mr. Madison lost for the reason that he would not provide liquor for the voters." "That same year he was selected to the Council of State, and elected as a delegate in 1779 to Philadelphia's Continental Congress." "Madison served there from 1780-1783, and had a strong commitment to being a leader" (Blanco 1). "In support of a federal government, Washington and Madison organized the Alexandria Conference to settle a dispute between Virginia and Maryland over the Potomac River" (The Federalist 1). "Only five states attended the convention, which hailed little result." "Hamilton and Madison later persuaded congress to endorse the conference, but only in an attempt to modify the article of the confederation" (The Federalist 1). Madison set the tone for the confederation by introducing the Virginia Plan. This plan called for a strong central government, consisting of a Legislative, Executive, and Judicial Branch. The Legislative would consist of two houses--the people, and the body of nominees would elect the other. Representation for each state would be proportional to the state population. Lastly, an executive was to be elected by a national legislature. It also defined a national judiciary & a "Council of Revision" that would review the constitutionality of legislation. The plan quickly passed into law, but a proposal brought against it by William Patterson, a New Jersey Lawyer would later strike it down. This plan referred to as the New Jersey Plan. The plan's proposal would help to protect the smaller states by stating that one state equals one vote. The plan would also give congress the power to tax and regulate trade. The New Jersey Plan would be voted down, and instead the Great Compromise came into function. This gave equal representation of small states proportional to large states, and both chambers...
