It was the first articulated proposal put forth during the Convention and contained several elements that would become part of the final U.S. Constitution.
Key features of the Virginia Plan:
1. Legislative Branch: The plan called for a bicameral legislature, consisting of a House of Representatives and a Senate. The members of the House of Representatives would be directly elected by the people, while the members of the Senate would be elected by the House from a list of candidates nominated by the state legislatures.
2. Executive Branch: The plan proposed the establishment of a single executive, called the "President". The President would be elected for a term of seven years and would not be eligible for reelection. The President would have the power to appoint and remove executive officials and to veto legislation.
3. Judicial Branch: The plan called for the creation of a national judiciary, including a Supreme Court and inferior courts. The judges would be appointed by the President and would serve for life.
4. Representation in Legislature: The plan proposed a system of representation based on population, whereby states with larger populations would have more representatives in the legislature than states with smaller populations.
5. Amendments: The plan provided a mechanism for amending the Constitution, which required the approval of two-thirds of both houses of Congress and ratification by conventions in at least three-quarters of the states.
The Virginia Plan set the stage for the discussions and negotiations that took place during the Constitutional Convention and significantly influenced the final shape of the U.S. Constitution.